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Deciphering Dreams In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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Deciphering Dreams

Dreams are puzzling. The reason why we have dreams remains one of the greatest unanswered questions in human history. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, dreams play a critical role as an aid to the characters, to the plot, and, even, to the original oral storytellers. Dreams are used as a means of communication for characters, as a device to foreshadow future plot points, and as a device to help oral storytellers remember the tale.
Characters use dreams as a direct way to communicate with the gods, or as prophecy from the gods. Main characters are given key information from the gods, directly from their dreams or from interpretations of their dreams. For example, as Gilgamesh sets out on his journey to kill Humbaba, he ask Shamash, “O mountain, dwelling of the gods bring me a favorable dream.” (pg 9) Following …show more content…

Enkidu interprets this dream as a sign that Shamash is traveling with them as a father and protector. The vision of a wild bull foreshadows the future battle against the Bull of Heaven. In the second chapter, “The Forest Journey”, Gilgamesh’s destiny is revealed to him in a dream by Enlil. Enkidu explains that the dream means Gilgamesh will not live forever but while he lives he will be powerful. At this point forward Gilgamesh, again and again, clashes with his mortality. From denying the reality of it and his determination to evade death, he fights against his density. This initial encounter with his mortality foreshadows the entire narrative, Gilgamesh must die. Here it is learned that death is inevitable. Yet, Gilgamesh only learns this at the end having finally accepted his mortality after failing his journey for immortality. Along with his mortality, Gilgamesh is given the gift of power which signify his later realization of the immortality that lies in the actions and achievements of man. This dream lays the foundation of the entire

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