The Epic of Gilgamesh (Essay Sample)

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The Epic of Gilgamesh
There are many stories from many cultures around the globe that are trying to describe the creation. In Mesopotamia, the existing evidence from the records between the first and third millennium proves that the involvement of many gods in the natural forces was not associated with any myths addressing the issue of creation. Many fragmented tablets may contain notes to a time when only the earth and heavens existed. The Gilgamesh and the Netherworld begin with a mythological prolog that assumes that the gods and the universe already existed and that the heavens and the earth were once united. In this study, the discussion will be majoring on the relationship between the gods and humans.
In the story of the epic, mankind, and the divine are strongly intertwined. The link between the gods and humans is based on their significant roles that define the lives of the characters in the epic. The gods acted as mediators for mankind on many occasions when their deeds make annoyed them, and the Gilgamesh is believed to be among the divine. The gods are said to have a feeling that it is their responsibility to intervene when a man was straying from his destiny. The story also reveals that the gods are involved with the mortal places and population that they represent. Similar to the tales, the gods are often organizing and planning against each other as mankind is on many events the unaware casualties who are captivated in the powerful struggles. Similarly, the gods are also known to hold the humans as jointly accountable for the wrongs of a mere mankind. When Gilgamesh rejects the goddess Ishtar’s excited steps, she seduces her parents to release a divine bull (Harris & Rivkah, 127).
The flood depicts the bond between the gods and man. As the wave is noted for its resemblance to the story of Noah in the Bibles’ Old Testament, it is the punishment of the gods who are angry that the mankind is too loud and clamorous. It is only the Utnapishtim who is known to have received a warning before the floods from the goddess. He was directed to ferry his family and a species of all creatures as they were the creation that get through the floods. It can be supported that Utnapishtim is compensated with endurance for his labor. The relationship between the mortal and the gods can be seen to be contentious from these events. It is proven in the epic that those not...