ipl-logo

Self-Fulfillment In The Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Iliad

921 Words4 Pages

INTRO+THESIS: Self-fulfillment, or achieving personal satisfaction and happiness, is often considered a crucial aspect of human life. However, the extent to which this has been a universal belief throughout history is debatable. While the ancient texts of Gilgamesh and the Iliad prioritized the fulfillment of selfishness and individual desire, the later ideas of Daoism and Stoicism upheld the belief that the lack of self-fulfillment would lead to a healthy society. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad prioritize individual desires, whereas the Daoist and Stoic beliefs emphasize the importance of self-restraint and task for the greater good. Ultimately, this paper argues that self-fulfillment varied greatly across different cultures and periods, …show more content…

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the protagonist, Gilgamesh, is portrayed as a selfish and tyrannical king who seeks to fulfill his desires. The text emphasizes the importance of personal ambition and ego by illustrating Gilgamesh's pursuit of immortality as a heroic quest, even though it is self-serving. "For example, when Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu kill the monster Humbaba, they do so not out of any sense of justice or moral obligation but simply because they want to add to their reputation" (Epic of Gilgamesh, pp. 23-24). Similarly, when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh establishes his fear of being …show more content…

Confucianism teaches the importance of association within both ideals. Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, explains the importance of society over individual desires. In the Analects, Confucius asserts well-being and community are the priority. Confucius teaches harmony and stability of society depend on personal virtues, dutiful purity, and respect for authority. Ultimately Confucius sees a society where individuals fulfill their roles and responsibilities. The text emphasizes rather than serving personal desire, self-fulfillment as acts of service lead to a harmonious

Show More
Related

How Did Gilgamesh Change After Enkidu's Death

210 Words | 1 Pages

First of all, when we read the beginning of the epic, we can conclude that Gilgamesh is very bad king and fully uses his rights doing bad things; sleeps with the virgins of his own town, kills the young boys, humiliate others, shows himself from the worst side. “He is king,

Read More

Humbristic To Humble Gilgamesh Analysis

746 Words | 3 Pages

In this tale, a godly man, Gilgamesh, develops a friendship with beast-turned-man, Enkidu, who begins to teach Gilgamesh about the world and helps him to grapple with challenges. After one challenge in particular, a battle with the giant Humbaba, Enkidu dies abruptly, leaving Gilgamesh alone again, and forcing him to overcome adversities by himself. Gilgamesh is initially despondent, but these adversities eventually give him the strength to grow in wisdom and appreciation. Gilgamesh flourishes from his failures because he can finally understand the meanings of life and death, accept

Read More

Comparing Gilgamesh, Inferno, And No Exit

1561 Words | 7 Pages

Gilgamesh’s vocation, involving the king’s throne and his limitless strength, was only the root of his downfall. His destiny to defeat Humbaba was the tipping point and the death of Enkidu was the push over the edge. Gilgamesh not only feared death, but also did everything in his power to avoid it. Based on The Epic of Gilgamesh, death should be feared. As the story unfolds, the audience can easily get more and more caught up on the pressure to die a “meaningful” death.

Read More

How Did Gilgamesh Become Selfish

906 Words | 4 Pages

However, they become friends instead of enemies, as they share a similar immoral manner and characteristics. Unfortunately, Enkidu dies because the goddesses want to punish him owing to the fact that he and Gilgamesh killed the Bull of Heaven. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh is forced to think about about his death, so he decided he need something that will help him to be immortal, “ I fear the death, and now roam the wilderness”, Gilgamesh said. As a result, Gilgamesh became afraid of his death and started to seek immortality, which is how the call to adventure has

Read More

How Did The Boxer Rebellion Contribute To The Rise Of Confucianism

1603 Words | 7 Pages

Confucianism is a system of thought in China developed by the ancient Chinese scholar Confucius and his disciples in the sixth century BCE. The main principles of Confucianism are the standards of morality, common sense, and appropriate interpersonal behavior. Confucianism has shaped Chinese culture in a number of ways, including how they view life, how they live, what is considered to be valuable in society, and how they approach politics. The philosophy is based on the idea that although people are generally good, they sometimes act immorally because they lack a strong moral code. By adhering to an ethical code and engaging in rituals that support it, one can live a productive life of peace that will eventually lead to a strong, moral, and

Read More

Changes During The Axial Age

3491 Words | 14 Pages

Confucianism also believed that government should reflect the familial structure, meaning subjects and rulers each have their own responsibilities to uphold and they also have their own role to play in society. People who followed the teachings of Confucius valued the importance of education. Unlike other religions, Confucianism viewed education with the utmost importance and believed that it should be available for anyone who seeks it. With that being said, he also believed that only the educated should have the right to govern

Read More

Daoism, And Legalism: The Three Philosophies Of Ancient China

848 Words | 4 Pages

He believed that people could work together and that all would thrive. Confucius thought that everyone had their own role in life depending on their Dao, or “the way”. Confucianism has two main elements to it’s philosophy: duty and humanity. The first part, duty, was the responsibility of all individuals to put their own internets and dream below the needs of their families and community. This meant that one was supposed to give up their aspirations in life in order to provide for their family.

Read More

Daoism, And Legalism: The Three Philosophies Of Ancient China

649 Words | 3 Pages

According to Confucianism, there are five basic relationships between people: ruler and subject, husband and wife, father and son, older sibling and younger sibling, and friend and friend. Everyone must respect the people that are of higher status, in return, those of higher status must set a good example for the people of a lower status. He also taught that you need to work hard

Read More

Analytical Essay: The Women In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

2029 Words | 9 Pages

Although Gilgamesh most noticeably begins his quest in search for immortality after Enkidu’s death in the latter half of the epic, in which he explicitly states that he is seeking his “forefather, Uta-napishti, / who attended the gods’ assembly, and [found life eternal:]” (The Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet IX.75-76), it could also be the case that Gilgamesh’s quest for immortality began long before then. Most notably, Gilgamesh announces to the Uruk elders before his initial quest to slay Humbaba that he would “conquer him in the Forest of Cedar: / let the land learn Uruk’s offshoot is mighty” and “establish for ever a name eternal” (The Epic of Gilgamesh, Yale Tablet.184-187). In response to Enkidu’s remarks about the impending danger of Gilgamesh’s quest, Gilgamesh brings forth the an argument that because he himself has numbered days as a mortal man, he must do what he can to do establish his name for eternity, and thereby remain immortal in the the metaphorical sense, albeit not physically. As such, it appears that Gilgamesh already previously had preconceived notions of pursuing immortality through spreading word of his heroic feats and passing on his name and legacy for eternity. Even Enkidu himself re-echoes and reaffirms Gilgamesh’s original aspirations for

Read More

Compare Legalism Daoism And Confucianism

563 Words | 3 Pages

Confucius thought that family and government were two very important aspects of life–so important that he traveled from place to place in China hoping to find a place in the government. When this failed, he became a wandering teacher who taught whoever would listen. Confucius taught that people were good and trustworthy. Today, most everyone is a good person, but not all are trustworthy. Confucianism goes off a male-female hierarchy.

Read More

Philosophies Of Ancient China

573 Words | 3 Pages

In Confucianism, there were three main beliefs Filial piety, humaneness, and ritual. Confucianism was founded in the Zhou Dynasty in ancient china. One of the main reasons Confucian ethics had a significant impact on traditional Chinese society is that it influenced religions, governments, and education. Many aspects of the Confucians idea can still be found in the Chinese people's way of life today. The most obvious is its influence on the family unit.

Read More

Epic Of Gilgamesh Suffering

1147 Words | 5 Pages

Human suffering is one of the major themes in The Epic of Gilgamesh. When confronting with painful circumstances in our lives, we often ask ourselves why is life so difficult and wonder if suffering is necessary. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the two heroes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu both go through suffering either physically or mentally. There are many beliefs to the reason why suffering is inevitable. In this epic, it is portrayed that the two heroes’ sufferings are the results of their fundamental flaws, such as their hubris and their attachments of to be remembered.

Read More

Daoism And Legalism

780 Words | 4 Pages

Confucianism is often characterized as a system of social and ethical philosophy rather than a religion. Confucius, a Chinese philosopher developed the teachings of Confucianism. in his life he was a teacher, a politician, and a philosopher. A

Read More

'Justified In The Epic Of Gilgamesh'

1198 Words | 5 Pages

In “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, Gilgamesh believes that fear is not and never will be “Justified”. This story was retold by Herbert Mason but no one truly knows who began the tale. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is a well known epic poem that was created in ancient Mesopotamia around the time of 600 B.C. The point of view in which the story is told in is third person, in the perspective of Gilgamesh himself. The setting of the story is around the time of 2700 B.C. Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk and is struggling to stay off of deaths radar at all cost, even though his true love is fighting against opposing forces.

Read More

Essay On Gilgamesh A Hero's Quest For Immortality

734 Words | 3 Pages

A Hero’s Quest for Immortality Gilgamesh, just like the other heroes, received a vision from the gods pertaining to his fate, “The father of the gods has given you kingship, such is your destiny, everlasting life is not your destiny.” Somehow, it is not surprising for me that Gilgamesh would face death by the end of the epic because it is not new that a person, even a hero, would die. But the famous Babylonian hero proved to me that death is not a hindrance to remember the heroic and glorious deeds that a person once did. The quest for immortality is a common theme in mythologies.

Read More

More about Self-Fulfillment In The Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Iliad

Related Topics

Open Document