Please read Chapter 5. Then write a well supported observation that incorporates a quote (1 paragraph). Once posted, respond to another post by a classmate from either section.
Due: B3 - Monday, 3.4 (before class) / A2 - Tuesday, 3.5 (before class)
Due: B3 - Monday, 3.4 (before class) / A2 - Tuesday, 3.5 (before class)
After Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh intends to let his "hair grow long and roam over the grassy plains clad in a lion skin" as trying to become Enkidu (191). You could see how strong their friendship has become. He did not only lose his friend that day, he said that Enkidu "was like the bow in my hand, like the dagger in my belt, like the axe and the sword at my side, like the shield that protects me, like my ceremonial robe, and like my glorious royal decorations" which shows how much he means to him (190). This is proven to how Gilgamesh is making a statue made out of golds and jewels for Enkidu to show how much he loves him. From what they both have been through, like fighting Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven in order to save the city, it makes perfect sense on how Gilgamesh respond on crying over Enkidu "like a lioness deprived of her cubs" (191). It is finally shown how much Gilgamesh has changed throughout the chapters as from a bully to a good king and hero all to Enkidu's presence.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I didn't read the chapter to the end, until the point when Enkidu died because the first part summarized Chapter 5 and it only pointed out the main parts of the chapter. So when I read your response I got to know after Enkidu's death. But anyways, I like how you used 3 quotes to support your response to be specific as possible. When I read the quote from page 190, I found out that the book uses tons of metaphors to express feelings, maybe too much.
DeleteWhen Ishtar asked Gilgamesh to marry her, Gilgamesh rejected her because she have treated her previous loves like dust. Not only she treated one man like poop, but she treated many men like garbage and killed them. Like so, Gilgamesh didn't want to end up like the guys so thats why he rejected her. He also referred her as "A pan of white-hot coals that go out in the cold. You are like a back door that fails to keep out the blasts of a tempest. You are like a palace that crushes the king within it" (Rosenburg 188) and dozen of more metaphors. That has ticked off Ishtar which led to Enkidu's death somehow, which I think is not fair for Enkidu because he insulted Ishtar for his lad, and does not deserve to die. I can relate Ishtar as Talor Swift because she went out with many men and broke up like a speed of light. Not trying to be mean or anything.
ReplyDeleteI also got the feeling out of the story that Ishtar was immature, that she would ignore all the wrong she had done and just retaliate the moment she doesn't get what she wants. For example right after Gilgamesh rejects her she goes on to ask her father to kill him.
DeleteEnrique
ReplyDeleteB3 Literature
The scene were Enkidu becomes egoistic and self centered after he dreams that he was going to die soon. He starts to curse everyone that has to do with the cause of his death. Enkidu especially took it out on the priestess who had given him "food worthy of the gods and drink worthy of royalty" (189). In my opinion Enkidu had gone all egoistic because he was petrified about the fact that his death was coming soon. So he was regretting everything good that had happened to him, that led him to the causes of his death too. But the Shamash who had heard his curses came down and told him that if the priestess hadn't come he wouldn't have met his "best friend, Gilgamesh", also that he wouldn't take his Enkidu's death lightly at all and that "he will make his people serve" him after his death (190). After realizing the wrong that he had done, Enkidu took back all the curses he said and started wishing the best for everyone who he cursed. The life lesson learned here is that death is a scary concept but taking it out on everybody and making yourself blameless is just self centered because the people you curse will most definitely mourn over your death.
I also find it nice how Gligamesh mourns over Enkidu in such a friend like way and that he really shows how much he's going to miss Enkidu. The quote with all the similes (like the bow in my hand, etc.) makes me realize that if I was in Gilgamesh's position it would be a really harsh moment. But of course I find something strange about this too. I find it weird how Gilgamesh promises so much for Enkidu after his death. Like making a statue of him with rare and expensive material. Also by growing out his hair, I would understand it if he was a commoner but he's the king of a whole city he needs to think a little more than that. I find it that Gilgamesh is always on an extreme of something even when it's right.
I noticed how even the gods have a human side to them. When Gilgamesh pointedly refuses to marry Ishtar, she complains to her father, Anu about Gilgamesh insulting her. At first Anu criticizes her by telling her that it was she who had “started the quarrel and caused Gilgamesh to tell her her shameful deeds”(188). But later on, even after Ishtar’s intention of killing Gilgamesh with the bull is made fully evident, Anu gives his daughter the Bull of Heaven. Being the honorable high god of the heavens, Anu should be perfectly capable of noticing Ishtar’s evil ways shown previously through her actions towards others. But most likely blinded by his love for his daughter, he overlooks the evil in Ishtar and gives in. This sort of poor decision making is seen frequently by humans today.
ReplyDeleteLyu
DeleteTotally agreed. I'm not sure if its the author or bad parenting, but Anu's decision was really disappointing, and yes just like we see frequently by humans today. And also, not to mention Ishtar's cruelness, how she used her father's powers for evil.
I compared the Gilgamesh to The Illiad and found both simmilarities and differences. The difference is that in the Illiad, the big war was caused by Helen. In Gilgamesh, the goddess Ishar approached him and told him to become her wife. But Gilgamesh refused and stated that she "harmed everyone you ever loved"(187).The Illiad is all about Helen, but in Gilgamesh, woman doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteThe simmilarities is about dream. In the Illiad, dream came to agamemnon and told him it was a good chance to attack Troy. In Gilgamesh, Enkigu had a dream. The great god Enlil said that "Gilgamesh will not die, but Enkidu should die"(189). Enkidu became very scared of his dream. I think people in the old days believed in what people dreamed about.
I agree, the epic Gilgamesh and the Illiad share similar situations. I find it interesting how both Agamemnon and Enkidu take their dreams very seriously, as if they were messages sent directly from the gods.
DeleteI agree. Gilamesh and Iliad both have those relationships. Women are greedy in both of the stories. Also, it's really interesting how both of the stories have dreams related to their destinies.
DeleteWhen the goddess of love, Ishtar asked Gilgamesh to marry her he rejected her for being mean to all her lovers in the past and thought she was going to do the same to him. When Gilgamesh insulted her, Ishtar felt angry for being rejected which i think its very human like. "You have harmed everyone you have ever loved!"(187). Ishtar then went to her father to ask him if he can kill Gilgamesh for insulting her. I thought her father would punish Gilgamesh. But He did not because he thought Gilgamesh had a point. Ishtar then threatens Anu that she will unleash hell on the earth if she does not get the bull of heaven to kill Gilgamesh. Anu probably feels sorry for his daughter so he gives the bull to her. When she unleashes the beast Gilgamesh kills it. In this chapter i see that Gods have human feelings and hatred and how they can fall in love with mortals.
ReplyDeleteLyu
ReplyDeleteAfter Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar, and Ishtar complains to her father Anu, it really surprised me in a bad way when Ishtar asks for the bull of heaven to kill Gilgamesh, and if he doesn't, she told Anu that she will "break the bolts and smash the gates of the Underworld, letting them stand open"(188), and "cause the dead to rise to the world above, where they will eat among the living and outnumber them. Because what father allows his daughter to threaten her own father for a bad thing, and gets away with it? I was really disappointed with Anu.
Looking at the chapter from a literally point of view there is a lot of repetition incorporated in the text. "May kings, princes, and nobles love you. May you receive jewels and gold. May anyone who does not respect you be punished. May poverty find his storehouse and his home. May the priest let you enter the presence of god" (190). There were many passages in the chapter that went like this and it was always when saying something about a person, whether adoring them, insulting them, or mourning for them. I think the purpose of the repetition is to bring about the various specific aspects the characters hold as important. For example "I shall make the people of strong-walled Uruk weep over your death"(191). In my opinion this is completely unrelated, however for Gilgamesh it holds deep meaning.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that gods also, have a human side. Ishtar approached Gilamesh and said to marry her. But, since Gilamesh knew that she had hurt everyone she loved in the past. Then, Ishtar got very angry, she told her father to kill him. "I believe that you started the quarrel and caused Gilamesh to tell you of your shameful deeds" (188). But Anu, father of Ishtar, knew that Ishtar was the one who started the quarrel so, he didn't kill Ishtar. But then, Ishtar begged his father to give her a "Bull of Heaven". He first did not want to give her, but she threatens him and forces him to give it to her. I think its unfair how gods get to get anything.
ReplyDeleteI felt it ironic how the goddess of love and fertility treated love as disposable. In the beginning she promises so much "I shall harness for you a jeweled and golden chariot, with golden wheels and brass borns." (187) etc. But it turns out that in the end all she did was hurt her lovers. If even gods can't have love that is painless and true, then how can it exist for us? It seems like the author is arguing that it is stronger and better to live with out romantic love (hence Gilgamesh's decision.) I also think that the diversity of her lovers (ex. spotted shepherd bird, famous stallion, father's gardener) represents that this type of love is virtually inescapable, and no one is immune. It also seems to be a way of explaining how things came to be "he stays in the orchard and cries 'My wing! My wing!'"(188) I think that this means that love has shaped us in many ways. Gilgamesh seems to be in the right when he says that the goddess of love is broken, that real love cannot exist. "You are like a pan of white hot coals that go out in the cold. You are like a back door that fails to keep out the blasts of a tempest."(188) It seems very common for myths to explain why we feel pain.
ReplyDeleteReading the text I noticed the purification was a big concept in this Chapter. When Gilgamesh and Enkidu came back from killing Humbaba, what they first did was "cleaned and polished his weapons..unbraided his hair, washed it" (187). Even these days, purification means to clean, or wash your self from what you did, and refresh your self. Also after Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated the bull of heaven, they again "washed their hands in the Euphrates River" (189). I found that many people clean themselves especially after a fight or battle. Probably because since they killed a living thing, they have to wash themselves to forget, or restart.
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