Why Does Gilgamesh Want to Find Immortality: Essay

Tablet IX begins with Gilgamesh lamenting over the Enkidu’s death, wandering wild alone, and pondering “I shall die, and shall I not then be as Enkidu” (70). Gilgamesh was completely desolated by the sorrow and frightened by their friend’s death. He had a fear that he would die the same as Enkidu died from the sickness. His reaction after Enkidu died clarifies that he was lost, and scared which Campbell states this situation as “missing consciousness” (Campbell 157). The bewilderment of death led Gilgamesh to a new journey where he has to “move out of the known, conventional safety of your life to spiritual deed” (Campbell 153). For Gilgamesh, the conventional safe place is Uruk city where he had a pleasant life with his people and family members. However, he left his safe place, Uruk, to seek out Uta-napishti, the only mortal god, to ask for immortality so that he could have eternal life. Gilgamesh thought that only Uta-napishti could help him to escape from death as Uta-napishti is only mortal and granted everlasting life by the gods. To illustrate the situation when Gilgamesh left his place, Campbell says that “the usual hero adventure begins with someone from whom something has been taken” (152). In this case, Enkidu, his best friend, was taken away from Gilgamesh which made him feel “something lacking in the normal experiences available or permitted to the members of his society” (Campbell 152). Gilgamesh was feeling insecure and he feels something lacking in his normal life.

After leaving the safe world once known before, Gilgamesh begins with the initiation stage of his quest as he was feeling insecure in Uruk. On the way to the journey, he had a dream where “he grew glad of life” (70). In Mesopotamian culture, dreams were the method of communication between gods and human beings and it plays a significant role in future events, so, the dream that Gilgamesh had shown a positive sign for the continuation of the journey. However, Shamash, the sun god, became worried and told Gilgamesh that “the life that you seek you will never find” (71). Shamash was telling him not to go through the quest since death is certain for every human being and how long the journey he passes; he cannot avoid death. Gilgamesh was told not to endure the journey not only by Shamash but also by Scorpion-men. The scorpion men guarding the gate said: “Never[before], O Gilgamesh, was there [one like you,] never did anyone [travel the path] of the mountain” (73). However, the rigorous journey is imperative for Gilgamesh to acknowledge the inevitability of death and the significance of present life. The scorpion men explained that in Gilgamesh’s further journey, he needs to pass twelve hours of the journey through the passage, and the way is completely dark. He also said that no mortal can survive the dense darkness and even if Gilgamesh approaches the tunnel, he needs to cross the tunnel before the sun rises. Campbell points out these challenges as the Road of trials to test if someone is a real hero or not. Campbell states that the Road of trials is necessary to determine if the hero has a heroic act such as overcoming the dangers by showing that he has “courage, bravery, knowledge, and capacity” (Campbell 154). Gilgamesh’s Road of trials is illustrated by Scorpion-men guarding the gate, darkness in the tunnel, and eventually ending at Uta-napishti’s dwelling place. As Gilgamesh advances through the tunnel he walked for one double hour, two double hours, three double hours.……. twelve double hours in dense darkness, and finally, he came out in advance of the Sun. Campbell describes this situation as “you leave the world that you’re in and go into the depth or into a distance or up to a height” (157). Since Gilgamesh left the Uruk city he went so far in distance from his known city to find the ultimate boon.

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As Gilgamesh became successful in passing through the twelve hours of darkness, he saw “the trees of the gods” such as a carnelian fruit tree with bunches of grapes, lapis lazuli tree, cypress, cedar, and so on (75). Gilgamesh found himself in such a place where normal human beings cannot see those trees of gods and fruits. He was experiencing a symbolic rebirth in the magical garden. He only can see those special things in that place. He gains an extraordinary experience to be able to see those things which Campbell says, “the hero learns to experience the supernormal range of human spiritual life” (152). He became positive after beating the Sun by going to distance and depth and also, by achieving spiritual deeds; therefore, he gains knowledge and experience.

Gilgamesh has traveled so far to Uta-napishti's place to seek the secret of being immortal. Even though Gilgamesh fails to achieve immortality by failing the sleeping test, Uta-napishti tells Gilgamesh about a secret magical plant, “if you can possess this plant, [you’ll be again as you were in your youth.]” (98). For the magical plant, Campbell symbolizes it as a “life-giving elixir” and “quest of a boon” (152). Here, the quest for a boon means the magical plant which Gilgamesh was hoping to have after a long and challenging journey. The magical plant was so important to him that as soon as Gilgamesh heard what Uta-napishti said, he went to the sea to pluck the plant. For Gilgamesh’s crucial journey, Campbell says that “the trials of hero's journey are a significant part of life” (154). Since the magical plant helps Gilgamesh to return back to his youth age, he has to encounter one more trial to get that magical plant. Campbell keeps on saying that “the trials are designed to see to it that the intending hero should be really a hero” (154). The ultimate trial is to eat the plant and get back to the youth. However, Gilgamesh said that “to Uruk-the-Sheepfold I will take it, to an ancient I will feed some and put the plant to the test” (98). Gilgamesh decided to test the plant first and then, he wants to eat and be a youth again. Nevertheless, on the way to Uruk, Gilgamesh stopped for the night where he found a pool whose water was cool, and when he went down to take bathe in the water, “a snake caught the scent, came up [silence], and bore the plant off” (99). Gilgamesh was completely upset and disappointed by losing the magical plant and thinking his efforts for the trials and long journey went in vain.

The knowledge that Gilgamesh gained through the journey is that he should live life in the present and accept the fact that death is inevitable. This would be the ultimate boon for Gilgamesh as he lost virtually achieved boon. Gilgamesh should remember his past when he was a great man in Uruk and how he made his city beautiful. He needs to enjoy his remaining life in Uruk happily. When Gilgamesh returns to his own city, he remembered how much effort he put to make Uruk and said to Ur-Hanabi, Uta-napishti’s boatman, “O Ur-Hanabi, climb Uruk’s wall and walk back and forth! Survey its foundations, examine the brickwork! Were its brick not fired in an oven? Did the Seven Sages not lay its foundations?” (99). Likewise, Campbell says that when the hero achieves spiritual deeds, he “comes back with a message” (152). Gilgamesh, after becoming a spiritual hero, came back with a message that he cannot escape from death and that he should enjoy his life back in Uruk city. Campbell also says that “the basic motif of the universal hero’s journey- leaving one condition and finding the sources of life to bring your forth into a richer or mature condition” (152). Despite it taking a long time for Gilgamesh to accept the fact that achieving immortality or eternal life is impossible, eventually, he became a mature man and appreciates his challenging journey which drives Gilgamesh to live all of his life happily and peacefully in Uruk.