Destiny of gildemesh and the Iliad Essay Example

we can too. Death gives meaning to his life and allows the epic adventures to exist.

The tale begins with Enkidu's arrival as a young man who is also a god. Even though Gilgamesh rules as their king in Uruk, he lacks empathy for its people and instead kills their sons and rapes their daughters. In response to the people's grievances, the gods create Enkidu as Gilgamesh's equal with hopes that they will bring peace to Uruk through contention. Initially leading to a fight between them when Enkidu prevents Gilgamesh from entering a bride and groom's house; however ,they eventually become friends. Together they journey into the forest to confront Humbaba despite his fearsome nature.

In the forest ,they support each other in facing their fears and acknowledge that all living beings must confront mortality.
Gilgamesh acknowledges that he cannot achieve immortality but believes his name will be remembered throughout history. As a result, he decides to go to a place where famous men's names are written down to establish his own legacy. This shift in focus leads Gilgamesh to prioritize the well-being of Uruk, his city, over his personal desires. The walls made from cedar in Uruk serve as evidence of Gilgamesh's fame. Additionally, Enkidu teaches Gilgamesh about various aspects of humanity such as love, compassion, loss, aging, and mortality. In contrast, the Iliad also revolves around war as its main theme. Unlike Gilgamesh's story, there are two opposing factions engaged in warfare against each other and even within their own families. The epic begins with a dispute between a Greek king and the chief warrior—a perspective on this war that stands out because it is primarily

triggered by a woman []. During this time period [], women were devalued and treated as objects—a widely accepted norm. The intensity of this conflict is so great that Zeus himself intervenes to provide assistance. Initially angered by Agamemnon (the Greek king) for refusing ransom for one of Apollo's priests' daughters [], Agamemnon reluctantly gives up the girl but demands Briseis instead—the concubine captured by Achilles—as compensation [].This passage introduces the central theme of "wrath of Achilles" in the epic, originally assigned to him. Achilles communicates his grievances to his mother Thetis, who persuades Zeus to support the Trojans until Achilles' honor is satisfied. The conflict between the Greeks and Trojans is characterized by the inevitable fate of characters destined for honorable deaths. In the Iliad, Hector leads an angry charge against the Greek wall while Poseidon opposes Zeus to assist the Greeks. Poseidon hinders Agamemnon from ordering a retreat, and Hera uses Aphrodite's magic girdle to seduce Zeus into slumber. Hector sustains a wound and is compelled to withdraw with his Trojan comrades, but an enraged Zeus awakens and dispatches Apollo to heal Hector's injuries. Later on, regretting not having retreated earlier, Hector confronts Achilles in single combat which ultimately results in his demise. To further dishonor him, Achilles fastens Hector's body to a chariot and drags it across the battlefield. Ultimately, similarities can be observed between Gilgamesh and The Iliad as both explore how characters navigate their own choices.