The Epic of Gilgamesh is the world’s first piece of legendary writing based on the epic quest of the “greatest king on earth and the strongest super-human that ever existed”, Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was taught to have been born two-thirds god and one-third mortal and even though he was a strong and powerful king, he oppressed and treated his people harshly. Due to Gilgamesh’s actions, his people would pray to the god Anu, “creates a wild man”, who is Enkidu, who later on becomes Gilgamesh’s rival and devoted friend later on in his journey after having a fight of strength once he saw Gilgamesh trying to sleep with a newly wed women. Enkidu was brought out of his wildness after accepting one of the temple harlots, Shamhat who offered herself sexually to him so he would put an end to the trouble he has caused in which he submits to her. In doing so Enkidu instantly loses “his strength and wildness, but he gains understanding and knowledge” which plays an important key element during the Sumerian dynasty. However, after years of being devoted friends …show more content…
The Sumerians valued their relationships with the gods and would have done anything in their power to keep them pleased for centuries to come. There was no after life in their religion as they followed the belief of only being born to praise and worship the gods and in return the god would grant their wants. Even the kings worships them as their task to do while being king was to keep his people in check and made sure the gods were worship accurately. If they were worship harshly, punishment was to come to the king and his city. It is for this reason why Gilgamesh sent off on his journey to seek immortality because he “now realizes that he too must die and the thought sends him into a panic.” Even though there is no such thing as immortality, he pushed forward in hopes of finding what he