Comparing Gilgamesh And The Odyssey

According to Schechter and Semeiks “The Quest” passage on help “The hero, it is clear, needs all the help he can get on the quest, for wherever it leads him.” (The Quest 323). Within both books, The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey both Gilgamesh and Odysseus receive help throughout their journey’s. Gilgamesh experience in his quest of being helped in his most needed time was his encounter with Utnapishtim. For The Odyssey, Odysseus runs into many difficult on his journey, until he encounters Agamemnon.

In the story of Gilgamesh, the hero Gilgamesh has set off on his second calling, after witnessing the death of close friend Enkidu. Gilgamesh after experiencing a death that close to him has fallen into great sadness which he seeks out to end. His way on doing so is to obtain the unatonable, everlasting life. On his search for everlasting life he comes across Utnapishtim, Utnapishtim has obtain what Gilgamesh desires the most. When the two talk Gilgamesh expresses his sorrow and his desire for life to Utnapishtim, in return tells Gilgamesh the story of the flood.

In the story of the flood Utnapishman explains how the fury of Ishtar had cause much destruction that many people had died but the

Within the underworld Odysseus goes out to seek help from the dead prophet Tiresias. Instead of just getting help from Tiresias, Odysseus runs into old friends with helpful information. His first encounter is Agamemnon who gives him two warnings. (The Odyssey116) His first warning to Odysseus was to trust no woman. And due to Odysseus past run in with woman such as Circe his saying held some truth. Along with his advice about not trusting woman Agamemnon gives Odysseus one last tip. Which was to be discreet upon his arrival back to Ithaca. This helpful tip left by Agamemnon helps Odysseus in the long run when he finally arrives to shore of his homeland