The Epic of Gilgamesh- heroic traits
In order to be a hero, one must follow a few traits, including: good leadership skills and to accomplish a goal that benefits people or a place. Gilgamesh, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, certainly follows many heroic traits, but fails to have the utmost vital qualities that would make him fitting to be a hero.
In order to be a hero, one must be a superior leader. A good leader is always optimistic, have integrity and support the people you are leading. Gilgamesh fails to show the qualities of a good leader. He “arrogantly drives the people of Uruk too hard, oppressing even the weak” (504).
Heroes always accomplish a goal that to some degree betters a place, such as a town people, the world, etc. After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh wanted to receive eternal life, to avoid death himself. In order to receive eternal life, Utnapishtim tests Gilgamesh’s worthiness of eternal life by asking him to stay awake for six nights and seven days. Ultimately, Gilgamesh fails, but denied his failure. Utnapishtim said “count these loaves and learn how many days you slept” (511), and at that time Gilgamesh knew he had been caught. Before departing back to Uruk, Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a thorny plant that restores lost youth. On the quest, he luckily finds the plant, which he planned on “giv[ing] it to the old men to eat” (512) and himself. However, the magical plant got stolen by a gruesome serpent. So, Gilgamesh returned home, not receiving eternal life. Because Gilgamesh fails to accomplish his goal, it does not make him a hero. Gilgamesh carries many traits that make him unworthy of a hero, such as his inadequate leadership skills, and his failure to achieve the goal he set. His leadership skills deprive the country of Uruk as well as disappoint them. He also fails to receive eternal life for himself and bring the magical plant back for the senior men. Although, there are many other characteristics of a hero, Gilgamesh does not attain the most important qualities in The Epic
In order to be a hero, one must be a superior leader. A good leader is always optimistic, have integrity and support the people you are leading. Gilgamesh fails to show the qualities of a good leader. He “arrogantly drives the people of Uruk too hard, oppressing even the weak” (504).
Heroes always accomplish a goal that to some degree betters a place, such as a town people, the world, etc. After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh wanted to receive eternal life, to avoid death himself. In order to receive eternal life, Utnapishtim tests Gilgamesh’s worthiness of eternal life by asking him to stay awake for six nights and seven days. Ultimately, Gilgamesh fails, but denied his failure. Utnapishtim said “count these loaves and learn how many days you slept” (511), and at that time Gilgamesh knew he had been caught. Before departing back to Uruk, Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a thorny plant that restores lost youth. On the quest, he luckily finds the plant, which he planned on “giv[ing] it to the old men to eat” (512) and himself. However, the magical plant got stolen by a gruesome serpent. So, Gilgamesh returned home, not receiving eternal life. Because Gilgamesh fails to accomplish his goal, it does not make him a hero. Gilgamesh carries many traits that make him unworthy of a hero, such as his inadequate leadership skills, and his failure to achieve the goal he set. His leadership skills deprive the country of Uruk as well as disappoint them. He also fails to receive eternal life for himself and bring the magical plant back for the senior men. Although, there are many other characteristics of a hero, Gilgamesh does not attain the most important qualities in The Epic