Epic Of Gilgamesh Research Paper

The role deities play in the development of a culture is immense. There is, however, a mixed consensus of whether these gods are a positive or negative force within their respective pantheons. Some godlike entities are elevated with riches and power “ [Tiamat] who formed all things, made in addition weapons invincible; she spawned monster-serpents . . . Hurricanes, and raging hounds” (Myths pp. 17). Others are described as having an “appearance no different from mine; There is nothing strange in your features” (Gilgamesh 107). There is no “one size fits all” way to describe these human/god relationships. Why do the differences in how a culture views its gods even matter ? It matters because these differences reveal a lot of the cultures that

When the story begins, the citizens of Uruk are begging the gods to help them escape Gilgamesh’s oppression (Gilgamesh 62). The gods oblige; creating the perfect companion and foil, Enkidu “now create his equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart” (pp. 62). The gods go on to get more and more involved in the lives of those in the epic, so much so that humans seem to be at a mercy of their will. Ishtar, goddess of love, pursues Gilgamesh saying “Come to me Gilgamesh, and be my bridegroom”(pp. 85). Immediately, Ishtar is rejected as Gilgamesh defames her for bringing harm to her previous lovers. Seeking revenge, she demands to be given the Bull of Heaven (pp. 86). In this moment, we see Ishtar commit the same type of violent acts Gilgamesh commits at the beginning of the epic. The humans view their gods in Gilgamesh as immortal and omnipotent beings. The gods display an ability to use their immense power to affect daily events, but at the same time, they show that they are in no way more divine or sensible than mortals, and, as Gilgamesh and Enkidu discover, in some ways their divine powers make them even more childish and irrational than their human

Because of the multifaceted nature of Brahman, it is difficult to concentrate on a formless, all-encompassing deity. Therefore, many Hindus belong to sects that worship one aspect of Brahman, whether it be Shiva or Lakshmi, etc (pp. 254). This creates a variety of mythology to interpret and understand. In The Shiva Stories, Shiva is shown to be a humble, forgiving destruction god, even when someone has wronged him “Daksha is but a child; I do not think of him as one who has committed a sin . . . the devas thanked Shiva for his gentleness”(pp. 267). This is different from other deities like Ishtar, who is supposed to be a goddess of love and ends up bring famine and death to innocent citizens. The Shiva Stories go on to depict Shiva as a peaceful mediator, who just happens to be a destroyer god “I created a third eye for the protection of all creatures, but the blazing energy thereof destroyed the mountain” (pp. 272). Shiva is a kind destroyer, if someone who brings destruction is forgiving, why shouldn’t you forgive a slight wrongdoing? The Shiva Stories are propagating nonviolence through