The Epic of Gilgamesh is a depositary of themes that continue to fascinate readers and make literary critics argue about their expediency. The main hero’s desire for immortality is grounded both in the fear of decay and the man’s arrogance. Anticipating the failure of his struggles to find the secret of eternal life, Gilgamesh performs courageous and ambitious deeds that can distinguish him from other people and lead to universal approval. The protagonist aims at being worshipped and remembered for a long time even after his death. However, Gilgamesh still attempts to gain literal immortality following the example of Utnapishtim until he realizes the inevitability of death and accepts his destiny. Thus, the epic allows viewing fame as an alternative way of reaching immortality but at the same time implies that this option is perishable as it cannot be guaranteed.
The Epic of Gilgamesh presents the idea of fame through the convictions and aspiring plans of the main hero. Having obtained a helpful companion, Gilgamesh is determined to prove his destined supremacy by traveling to the Forest of Cedar and combatting dreadful Humbaba. Knowing that he is denied everlasting life, the protagonist wants to perpetuate his name: “Let me start out, I will cut down the cedar, / I will establish forever a name eternal!” (The Epic of Gilgamesh 20). Moreover, Gilgamesh believes that if one can outrival mighty creatures, demonstrating the physical strength, the person can be rewa with immortality (Seudin 47). The main hero is strongly determined to become renowned; therefore, he considers the high chance of death justified. Gilgamesh disregards the dissuasions of his mother, friend, and city elders because he is excited about the possibility to achieve immortality. The man is motivated not to benefit someone but to become glorious, which shows the importance of fame in his quest for endless life.
One can trace how the concept transforms further in the plot when the pride and ambitions of Gilgamesh result in Enkidu’s death. Even though the two friends have accomplished acts of bravery, which distinguished them from others, the only outcome they achieved was suffering. When Enkidu reveals the dream about the underworld, the main hero begins to rediscover his fear of the end of life and learns the value of care (Degnan 6). Previously, Gilgamesh has been focusing on himself, but the friend’s death overshadows the importance of fame: “I shall die, and shall I not then be as Enkidu? / Sorrow has entered my heart!” (The Epic of Gilgamesh 70). The protagonist realizes that his way of achieving immortality is not working because being remembered will not save him from literal decay and, thus, is an insufficient benefit. Gilgamesh recognizes his true fear: “’I am afraid of death, so I wander the wild, / to find Uta-Utnapishtim, son of Ubar-Tutu” (The Epic of Gilgamesh 70). Therefore, the reader is directed to the conclusion that literate immortality cannot be substituted with the one gained through fame.
The epic gradually insinuates that aspiring to fame may not necessarily bring the expected outcomes. Although patronizing gods help Gilgamesh in his journeys, they know that the hero’s final purpose is unattainable, and it will not satisfy him. For example, on the road to Utnapishtim, Shamash remarks: “O Gilgamesh, where are you wandering? / The life that you seek you never will find” (The Epic of Gilgamesh 71). As Shamash is the god of consciousness and justice, his disappointment indicates that the protagonist does not think clearly and cannot make the right conclusions. By challenging supernatural forces, Gilgamesh hopes that his life will become similar to that of gods, but such a narrow perspective prevents him from seeing the greater picture and enjoying the pleasures given to humans. Consequently, the desire to be immortal with the help of fame hinders the protagonist’s happiness.
Utnapishtim becomes one of the last steps on Gilgamesh’s road to recognizing the inevitability of his destiny and the falseness of his eagerness to be famous. He claims that no one can escape death: “The comely young man, the pretty young woman – / all [too soon in] their [prime] / Death abducts them!” (The Epic of Gilgamesh 86). However, the fact that Utnapishtim and his wife live eternally contradicts such a statement. After hearing the story of the couple’s obtaining immortality, Gilgamesh clings to the delusion that the same can occur with him and returns to the conviction that it is possible to “earn” immortality from the gods. The protagonist refuses to follow Utnapishtim’s advice and stops his quest, failing to notice the deep meaning. In essence, the purpose of the immortal man in the poem is to warn Gilgamesh about the pointlessness of the eternal life he is living. Being egocentric and proud of his accomplishments is futile without service to others. Fame and successful life will not make one happy, and simple human connections are the genuine source of joy (Degnan 6). The epic provides valuable lessons when shifting the focus from both fame and immortality.
Finally, The Epic of Gilgamesh demonstrates that although one can strive to reach immortality through fame, there is no guarantee that glory will last forever. The main hero tries to overcome his vulnerability to death and develops the two strong illusions. First, he considers the acts of brevity and his ability to surpass an ordinary human the primary accomplishments that will bring him closer to becoming divine. The refusal to accept his destiny and the aim for universal recognition lead to increasing suffering but do not improve the man’s situation. The friend’s death shatters the illusion of Gilgamesh and compels him to see the shortcoming of his actions (Seudin 61). Second, the protagonist hopes that he will be remembered by the next generations. Nonetheless, even the brick walls fall, the writings become lost, people’s views and interests change. Therefore, no one can secure the memory of the great person for the future. Fame will not have an influence on those who reside in the underworld.
The Epic of Gilgamesh provides exciting insights into the relationship between becoming glorious and being immortal; however, the struggles of the main hero reveal that such immortality is questionable. The reader can observe how Gilgamesh changes his perspective on the issue of immortality throughout the poem. In the beginning, he concentrates on extraordinary deeds due to his peculiar arrogance and overconfidence. Later, the death of Enkidu brings doubts and fears of the future. Even the quest for real immortality proves to be futile as it does alter the destiny; moreover, it would not make the hero happy. Utnapishtim tries to convince Gilgamesh, but he recognizes his mistakes only when returning home. Consequently, the epic implies that one’s illusions will not lead to a better life as fame is not always eternal; thus, there is no point to seek immortality in this way.
Works Cited
Degnin, Francis Dominic. “Minority Report: Re-Reading Gilgamesh After Levinas.” SAGE Open, vol. 6, no. 3, 2016, pp. 1-8, Web.
Seudin, Allen Elia. Underlying Motifs in the Hero’s Quest for Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh. 2017. MA Thesis. Semantic Scholar.
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Translated by Andrew George, Penguin Classics, 1999.