Powerful but not immortal

The Epic of Gilgamesh still touches people profoundly even after many centuries because it is about issues that are common to all people throughout history - the anguish of death for all human beings. For example, Gilgamesh, the protagonist of The Epic of Gilgamesh, and King Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han (the famous King of China in early 400 B.C.) had tried many ways to find a solution for having everlasting lives; however, the fact was that they were human and would die. This is the absolute difference between gods and humans: gods live forever and humans must die. Consequently, immortality was the solution that both Gilgamesh and Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han sought in order to overcome their fear of death.

Gilgamesh, "Two third they made him god and one third man." (Gilgamesh 13), was the mythical king of Uruk in Babylonia, on the River Euphrates in modern Iraq. He was the greatest king on earth and the strongest man that ever lived. As a young man, Gilgamesh had no compassion for the people of Uruk. He was their king, but not their shepherd; he killed their sons and raped their daughters. But when he met Enkidu, he learned many things: how t

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He had helped Mong Co to become the most powerful empire in early 400 B. As punishment for his immoral behaviors, the gods made him fall when he climbed the mountain. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, I really enjoyed the main character, Gilgamesh, and his fear of death served as a good example for "There is no permanence. He asked his people to build a mountain that would touch the sky, so he could climb up to the heavens and ask the gods for a way to avoid death.

Both Gilgamesh and Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han were looking forward to finding the way to become immortal. He would do anything to become immortal. He became villainous because of his jealousy towards younger people. Gilgamesh and Enkidu succeeded in killing the Bull of Heaven, but Enkidu later died as a result. He despaired the loss of Enkidu but also his own death, which he knew could come some day. Upon failing the challenges necessary to become immortal, he finally accepted that he was human, and he would have to die as normal people. When Gilgamesh refused to marry Ishtar, she was furious. Unlike Gilgamesh, Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han was generous to his people, encouraged them to go to school, and devoted his energies to strengthening his empire. Thus, the search for immortality led to the terrible death of Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han. He and Enkidu journeyed into the forest to confront the terrible Humbaba because Gilgamesh wanted to set up his name where the names of famous people were written (Gilgamesh 18).

Approximate Word count = 792
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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