Essay on Cultural Values Represented in the 'Epic of Gilgamesh'

The use of the savage to contrast civilization is one that has long been utilized, established back in literary pieces such as The Epic of Gilgamesh as well as the story of Rama the Steadfast. Eventually, it was the Greeks who further defined the savage as a barbarian or someone who was foreign, non-greek, or did not speak the same language. This Greek term, Barbaros, emphasizes the idea of someone speaking gibberish, or nonsense. However, this definition does not mean these so-called savages or barbarians were uncivilized, in fact, the Greeks still often marveled at their accomplishments and even adopted many of them.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, we are first introduced to a savage when we meet Enkidu. Enkidu is wild, untouched by humans. He was born into the forest and runs with the animals, freeing them from traps set by hunters. There is a purity in him celebrated by the authors and Gilgamesh alike. He's the quintessential noble savage, meaning he is a perfect representative of primitive humankind, symbolizing the innate goodness of humanity when free from the corrupting influence of civilization. In this way, he contrasted hugely with the Gilgamesh portrayed at the beginning of the tale, who was greedy and cruel. After Enkidu dies tragically, Gilgamesh says;

Enkidu, your mother is a gazelle, and your father who created you, a wild ass.

You were raised by creatures with tails, and by the animals of the wilderness...

The paths going up to and down from the forest of cedars

All mourn for you, the weeping does not end day or night.

(Tablet VIII)

Gilgamesh conveys his sadness onto the natural landscape so that it seems as if the entire world mourns for Enkidu. His speech hints at Enkidu’s wild origins, and despite having been born without society and considered savage, Gilgamesh finds beauty and simplicity in Enkidu's birth and existence.

In Rama the Steadfast, on the other hand, we are met with many savages in the form of demons. As their name describes them, and in contrast with Enkidu, these savages are evil and destructive yet skilled in many ways.

The savage essentially opposes civilization, which is one of mankind’s greatest successes, in that it gave rise to virtue, morality, and beauty, alongside other things. The Genevan philosopher and composer, Jean-Jacques Rousseau gave credit for nobility to the savage when he coined the term “Noble Savage” as explained earlier. Since then, it has become common to seek out all evidence of enlightenment possible among primal societies.

Another way savages are often portrayed is with the aim to manage nature for their own benefit. In this way, there is generally only a matter of control, whether effective or not. Control produces material benefits. So in other words, the savage frequently has only one option if they want to survive, and it almost always involves violence. Therefore, the savage has often been portrayed as having no moral structure because they essentially do not need them.

Nobility is generally defined as having personal qualities of high moral principles and ideals, often belonging to the upper class. This term changes from culture to culture, depending on what values and ideals they hold most dearly. This idea of nobility paired with the term savage is essentially a person who is ___.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is the King of the great city of Uruk. Throughout the start of the epic, Gilgamesh is depicted as an oppressive and cruel king who worked his people to death and took what he wants from them without contest. This leads to the people of Uruk to plead to the Gods for assistance in hopes of better lives. The Gods listen and have Anu, the Goddess of creation, create someone strong enough to stand up to him and ultimately defeat him. Enkidu is born, a hairy wild man who lives in the wilderness alongside the animals. One day a trapper sees Enkidu and is frightened. After consulting with Gilgamesh, the trapper returns with Shamhat, a temple prostitute, and she and Enkidu mate because of this the animals no longer accept him and the two set out for civilization, more specifically Uruk. Enkidu learns that Gilgamesh will lay with a newly married bride on her wedding night prior to her own husband. He is outraged and decides he must stop Gilgamesh. The two meet in Uruk and a fight breaks out between them, in which Gilgamesh is ultimately triumphant. The two men become companions and proceed to adventure with one another in search of eternal fame. They journey to defeat the monster Humbaba and succeed in doing so, and because of this, Gilgamesh catches the eye of Ishtar. Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar and she becomes outraged and releases the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh, which he and Enkidu defeat. For their behavior, the Gods decide that one hero must die. Enkidu soon falls ill and ends up dying. Gilgamesh is shattered. Gilgamesh is afraid and decides to seek out Utnapishtim, the one human who was granted immortality by the Gods. After a long and arduous journey, Gilgamesh meets Utnapishtim, who tells Gilgamesh that immortality is for the Gods alone and that mortals must learn to accept death. He learns of a magical plant at the bottom of the sea that can restore one's youth and retrieves it. On his way back to Uruk, a serpent steals the plant, leaving Gilgamesh weeping. He returns to Uruk and upon seeing the great city, understands that it is his legacy and that if he rules well, it will be his greatest legacy. Gilgamesh comes to understand that the most important thing in life is to have lived and be loved well. This revelation first becomes obvious in the following line when Gilgamesh says to the boatman;

“Study the brickwork, study the fortification; climb the ancient staircase to the terrace; study how it is made; from the terrace see the planted and fallow fields, ponds, and orchards.

One league is the inner city, another league is orchards; still, another is the fields beyond;

over there is the precinct of the temple. . . . ,

Three leagues and the temple precinct of Ishtar.”

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Measure Uruk, the city of Gilgamesh.

(Tablet XI)

These words mark one of the most astonishing transitions in literature. Only a few lines earlier, Gilgamesh was in despair because he lost his magical plant and his opportunity for immortality. But this loss was also the moment of truth. As he approaches the vast, beautiful urban expanse of Uruk, Gilgamesh, seeing it anew, regards it with pride and awe. Gilgamesh repeats, word for word, the opening lines of the epic. This is my city, he says. My place. He has quested to the ends of the earth for the meaning of life and found it at last in his own home. Thus ends The Epic of Gilgamesh.

In Rama the Steadfast, Rama is born while a demon named Ravana is terrorizing the world. Rama is the prince of Ayodhya, capable of accomplishing what no man has ever done; stringing the bow of Siva. By doing he has rewarded marriage to the elegant Sita. Just when he is about to sit upon the throne of Ayodhya, his father Dasaratha is required to exile him for fourteen years to the forest. Rama willingly accepts his exile and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana accompany him. In the forest, the brothers must kill many demons and end up interacting with many enlightened people. The demon Ravana hears of Sita's beauty and kidnaps her. Ravana attempts to seduce her, but she refuses him for almost ten months through many tests of faith. In an attempt to get his wife back, Rama and his brother form an alliance with the monkey king Sugriva and attack an army of monkeys. Following several brutal battles, Rama succeeds in defeating Ravana and wins back Sita. However, he is worried that she has been adulterous during her captivity with Ravana so she must undergo a trial by fire to prove her chastity. After she proves to be faithful, Rama takes her back and they return to Ayodhya and rule successfully and happily for many years. Ravana, despite being a demon and savage is praised at one point in the quote;

“One should never discount the majesty of Ravana. The evil he was, but he was also the greatest of all the created beings of his time. He had dominated the known universe for centuries, and even Deva women felt weak with desire just to see him. He was matchless at arms, in his generosity, his intelligence and knowledge of the sacred lore, and his indomitable courage. He was Ravana, the peerless, the invincible. There was no one like him, as complex, as powerful, or as wise.”

Ravana is established as a worthy adversary for Rama; he is no mean villain, but instead a complex and powerful nemesis. Intriguingly, this passage emphasizes Ravana's majesty rather than his wickedness, highlighting some of his virtues, such as his intelligence and his desirability to women.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Rama the Steadfast are two of the oldest heroic poems to date. While both epics have many similarities, there are also some distinct differences between the two having to do with each main character's journey. Both stories display the typical characteristics of a hero, having traits such as courage, wisdom, selflessness, etc. The development of these characteristics, however, marks significant differences between the two stories. Both of these characters embody the predominant values of each of their respective cultures and times. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Rama the Steadfast reveal the importance of religion, love, good rule, and family values.

The Epic of Gilgamesh was written in ancient Mesopotamia, the framework of civilization, and so it became known as the first great epic in history. Not only is it believed that Gilgamesh is the epitome of the epic hero, but he is also viewed as a symbol of Mesopotamian culture itself. The Mesopotamians were polytheistic people, meaning they believed in many Gods. They both loved and feared these Gods and did everything within their capabilities to appease them, whether it was by building ornate temples or performing ritualistic sacrifices. This is why it comes as no surprise that they believed Gilgamesh was actually two-thirds God and only one-third man. Gilgamesh was in fact a real king and Uruk was a real city at the time. Based on how devoutly religious the Mesopotamians were it is understandable how they would think a person who was both parts God and a strong man would be the ideal ruler. In ancient Mesopotamia, men were assumed to be firm leaders and steady providers of the household. Gilgamesh was in fact a firm king, and even after his journey with Enkidu, Gilgamesh was still a shining example of an alpha male.

The epic, Rama the Steadfast, also had a strong influence on its culture. Much like Gilgamesh, Rama is also a divine being as he is the embodiment of the God Vishnu, who was responsible for preventing the destruction of the universe. In Indian culture, however, there is some division between polytheistic, henotheistic, and monotheistic people but the majority of these people can agree on the idea of purushartha, samsara, and nirvana. While other Gods take part in a variety of occurrences in the story, the most prevalent one is Vishnu, so it is no surprise that many monotheistic Hindus believe in Vishnu as the sole God.

Another notable quality Rama has is his constant faith in dharma and trust that his fate will lead to finding nirvana. Throughout Rama the Steadfast, Rama always chooses the route he believes to be fate, including when he is banished from his own kingdom. Hierarchy and family respect are two important elements when it comes to Indian culture. Not only is Rama at the top of the hierarchical chain, being the heir to the Ayodhya throne and also part God, but he is also an amazing example of both a son and husband. He is very knowledgeable and always listens to the advice of the elders, even when their wishes are not his own. For example, when Rama is banished, he accepts his fate humbly and makes no effort to go against his father's will, even after his father passes away. As a husband, he provides for Sita and does whatever is necessary to keep her safe from harm or suffering, even if it means hunting down the supposedly indestructible demon Ravana. Because of these traits, he is considered a shining example for Indian men to follow in life.

Rama is accomplished, especially for his age. He is enlightened and devoted to his religion, both of which are dominant virtues within the Indian culture. At one point these virtues are essentially listed in the quote;

'Integrity, bravery, righteousness, gratitude, dedication to his beliefs, a flawless character, compassion for all living, learning, skill, beauty, courage beyond bravery, radiance, control over his anger and his desires, serenity and a lack of envy. In these very times, such a man was born into the world. His name is Rama.'

This quote presents a list of Rama's personal virtues, which are a central focus of the poem. Significantly, Valmiki notes that not even gods necessarily possess all the virtues that Rama does.

Both Rama and Gilgamesh are distinguished and celebrated for their divine traits and capabilities including physical strength, beauty, and nobility. In both stories, each hero begins their journey in a position of power within their respective societies. The most obvious distinction between the two heroes is the way their journeys to becoming such renowned heroes unfold. Gilgamesh begins as a selfish tyrant, whose oppression over his people is so cruel that they feel the need to turn to the Gods to find refuge. At this point, it is very easy to mistake him for a villain and expect Enkidu to defeat him in battle. Instead, he surprises us all by befriending his so-called enemy. This plot twist in the story leads him on a path toward revelation and enlightenment, which Gilgamesh eventually acquires, and once he does he is transformed into a valiant and worthy King, one his people can look up to. It is Gilgamesh’s quest that makes him a hero. In comparison, Rama is wise and well-loved by his subjects at the beginning of the story, prior to the beginning of his journey. He already possesses admirable qualities such as chivalry and good manners and decides to trust his Dharma, which only deepens his subject's devotion and respect for him, in fact, once he is exiled from his kingdom, it and his people begin to suffer. Even his brother Bharata did not want to take the throne away from him, knowing he could never rule as competently. Rama’s innate wisdom and trust in fate send him on a mission that ultimately leads to the completion of his destiny and a satisfying life.

When it comes to comparing the relative importance of each of these quests, is difficult. As I mentioned earlier, these heroes and their journeys embody their culture's crucial and most sacred ideals and values and because of this, their significance is only relative within their own society.

In Rama’s story, he proves himself to be the hero we already knew him to be which contrasts deeply with Gilgamesh, who has to prove that he is a hero as well since it is not so obvious from the start. In the end, however, both heroes have more in common than not. They are both famous and beloved idols in their societies and around the world too. Both Rama and Gilgamesh set the example for what a hero's values and qualities should be, as well as what a man should strive for in their respective societies. They both portray the values and potential dangers of their religions, presenting the ideal path to satisfaction. Both epics teach many lessons that many societies and cultures around the world have learned.

Savagery and nobility are common themes found throughout literature and these words evolve and take on new meanings over thousands of years within all cultures. Depending on the values held highly by specific societies, these words can have either positive or negative connotations, one can be either savage or noble or both and even be praised for being so.