Gilgamesh epic: Study
Gilgamesh’s epic conforms one of the great masterpieces of universal literature. It is composed of twelve Assyrian tablets- smooth clay rectangles, in the shape of a pad, engraved on both sides- cooked mud and cuneiform writing, found in the Ashurbanipal library in Nivide. It has a wide diffusion between the peoples of Mesopotamia and Anatolia. Historically, narratives on Gilgamesh have been transmitted orally before being collected several centuries later.
It is written in the Babylonian era of the second millennium to.C, it has a superium origin. In addition, it forms a mythical story, according to different authors, with a founding function. This is an epic poem where heroes and gods constitute the action of the text.
The oral tradition is the one that kept Gilgamesh alive for so many centuries, however, it was collected on tablets, despite considering that the epic has anonymous author, it is compilation of the legends of the King of Uruk was supervised by the learned scholarLIQE-UNNINNI. Even so, the author can not be considered, because there was already a version of the legend in the Babylonian period, however he was responsible for shaping him. Most likely, changes in the narrative of the text were introduced, it is the example of table XII, which was subsequently adhered to the other eleven tablet, which do make up the epic. It has been possible to isolate up to date five Sumerian tablets, which would then constitute the version of Sin-Leqi-Uninni.
Therefore, the character of Gilgamesh respects his historicity, surely sebid to oral transmission, the poem adopts many mythical scenes. Gilgamesh is presented as a giant of 5.60 meters high and with two -thirds divine parts of his being. For many authors, it has no scientific basis, however, others such as Wilfred Lambert and Paolo Xella defends their human existence, due to the amount of data of it and that appears in the Royal Sumerian list. In the words of Lara Peinado “in any case, the historicity/not historicity discussion is purely academic: the protagonist of the poem is, in effect, a mythical character, since he has suffered the traditional deforming process produced by the accumulation of legends during a long periodof time."All of him revolves around the figure of the indicated Gilgamesh, Sumerian character, who lived around 2650 before Christ, being the fifth king of the city of Uruk, according to the Royal Sumerian list (WB 444), a fundamental document for theStudy of the first Sumerian states.(Lara Peinado, 2008, P.3) In the oldest Sumerian texts the name Gilgamesh appears as Bilgames.
With regard to the main framework of the epic is the old city-state of Uruk, in the land of Sumer. Uruk, the most populous city of his time, was governed by the tyrannical Gilgamesh, semi -divine under her mother, the Ninsun goddess, but no less mortal for it. Gilgamesh was one of the great legendary figures. His lasting feat was the reconstruction of Uruk’s wall about his foundations prior to the flood, and his military skill ended the hegemony of the northern city-storage of Kish. We are in a context of cities-state in a clear economic expansion, where life revolved around the temple, which was administered by the king. They are attributed to the invention of graphic writing with an economic purpose, to facilitate the administration.
DEVELOPING
The work develops around three groups of characters;The divine, the heroic-myitic and the human. In this section we will develop the first group, that is, we are going to talk about the divinities that are named in the poem. The importance of religion and the gods in the poem is not the result of a mere narrative intention, but we must understand the role of religion as one of the most significant components of Mesopotamian civilizations. However, the epic does not have a total religious character, rather it is a lesson for the human being, in the words of the Assyologist William L.Moran "Gilgamesh is a story of the human world, characterized by insistence on human values". The history of epic treats more what is a man than what is to serve the gods. The function of the poem is not to explain origins but in examining the human condition. In spite of everything mentioned above, we must not forget the mythological character of the epic.
Caming the divine entities exclusively, we must mention the two great mesopotamic triadgoddess of love. During the course of the entire epic there is a direct relationship with the gods, either to see in the way they direct humans or presenting them as the most powerful beings.
The supreme triad has Anu God from heaven, which resided in its celestial palace where the goddess Ki lived with his wife. The King of the Gods, head of the family. God of paradise and earth. God of the starry firmament, the monarch spirit of the upper sphere. His symbol was a star. According to the Sumerian tradition, he lived in Paradise and made visits to Earth in times of crisis or ceremonial. Of his union with Nannu he had Enki, and his union with Ki had Enlil
In the epic of Gilgamesh, Ishtar, queen of love and war, even being a goddess of Uruk, he suffers not only rejection, but the brutality of Gilgamesh. The goddess of love ishtar, was very attracted to Gilgamesh, however, he completely ignored her. Because of this, the goddess in her eagerness of revenge sends the bull of the storms to kill both and destroy the city, but the couple of friends defeat the bull ending her life, but this action enraged the gods who byPunishment killed his friend Inkidu, it is worth mentioning that, this caused a strong pain to Gilgamesh who realized that death exists.
Shamash was one of the gods of Mesopotamia, better known as the God of the Sun and Justice, according to the Sumerian texts, this God was represented as a governor, where sitting on his throne in the heavens could see everything that happened and illuminatedAll the earth with its splendor and gave warmth. It was also Gilgamesh special protector
As for EA or also known as Enki, he is the god of wisdom, although he can also be the guide of fertility and water, he is a member of the supreme triad. Sumerian god of waters, fertility and wisdom. It arises from wet chaos, from marine waters, and permeates the earth and gives life to the beings that populate it. Sailor and navigators. It is often represented as a fishing body from which a human head arises and with humans similar to humans.
Enkidu was created by Auru with mud and water, is the envoy of the gods to fight Gilgamesh, however, such a battle did not occur but they became friends and undertook a trip in search of adventures and immortality. It represents the opposite of the protagonist of the epic, nature against civilization. Despite not being a God as such, he has a direct relationship with these and is an important piece of history with Gilgamesh.
The previously appointed Auru was the mother goddess and also goddess of the earth. He has an important role in the work;The creation of Enkidu is also considered the parent of most gods. It could also grant plant and animal life.
Nisaba is considered in Sumerian mythology as the goddess of fertility, writing and astrology. I had a great cult of fertility and was seen as a maternal figure.
Finally, mentioning Gilgamesh, even though he is not a God, he will take two third divine parts, adding this next to what is the protagonist of the epic should be mentioned in the range of different gods or in this case specifically semi -discharges.
Already mentioned all the gods that have some relevance with the epic, we must also name different mythological beings or that are closely related to the Sumerian mythology that is mentioned in the text. They could be: Anzu, Shambat, Huwawa, Utanaspisthim, Shambat and Ubartutu. They are not gods but they are related to them and the narrative of the text.
In short, Gilgamesh’s epic is a millenary work that has transgressed many mythologies, it is said that it has influence in the Bible, Flood itself is a very frequent event in Eastern religions. On the other hand, researcher Ioannis Kordatos sees a clear influence on Homer’s Odyssey.
Undoubtedly, the poem is a source of study of ancient civilizations, it has a great use to make us see the concerns of the time and how certain issues such as immortality discussed. The epic itself is anachronistic because it deals with issues that are of the human condition, which still concern us all.
Bibliography
- Lara Peinado, F. 2007: Gilgamesh poem, Madrid: 4th ed
- Lara Peinado, F. 2008: Gilgamesh Poem, Bitarte: Humanities Fallrimestal Magazine.
- Alaña, a. 2015: Gilgamesh’s poem, Madrid: Rey Juan Carlos University.
- Canales, i. S. 2013: The mythical hero prototype. Gilgamesh’s figure from the third millennium to. C. to the present day. UBI SUNT magazine? No. 28.
- SanMartín Ascaso, J. 2007: Before and after Gilgamesh, Institute of Islamic Studies and the Middle East (P.221-241).
- George, and Sampedro, José Luis (Introd.) and Crespo, Fabián Chueca (Trans.) (2004) Gilgamesh’s epic. Barcelona: Random House Mondadori. Paperback: Debolsillo, 2008.
- George, a. 2013, Gilgamesh’s epic.Translation: Chueca Crespo, Fabián. Foreword: Sampedro, José Luis. Epilogue: Balló, Jordi and Pérez, Xavier. Debols editions!Classic line. Second edition, October 2013, Barcelona
- Sanmartín, j. 2005, Epopeya de Gilgameš, King of Uruk. Madrid: Editorial Trotta
Leave feedback