The two epic stories are based on the concept of the ancient history and world’s civilization. Up to date, human beings debate on scientific facts regarding the immortality of man. Traditionally, the mountain of youth has been the major barrier towards death which is discussed in the Epic of Gilgamesh ( Sanders, 1960, p.1) . People also counted on magic and other gods that offered eternal life. However, the theme of death in both stories proves how the aspect of human rarely changes since evolution. Though at some point they differ, both tales explains the distinction of human beings from the ancient gods.
The argument of authors in both stories tend to mean that gods are not subjected to death while men are naturally mortal. In chapter two of The Epic of Gilgamesh , Enkidu explains to Gilgamesh of his kingship destiny determined by the forefathers, hence disagreeing with the idea of having eternal life as the final destiny of man. Gilgamesh embraces the idea by stating that there is no man who can clamber all the way to heaven. Therefore, man are destined to live for a short period of time unlike the gods that live forever. The belief that men has no occupation on earth drive the characters to think of the immortality power and who owns it. That clearly shows the author’s stand on the existence of death for humans. On the other hand, Penelope, a character in the Odyssey echoes the presence of death by quoting that “ Men’s lives are short ” ( Fitzgerald, 1961, p.301) . The messaged entailed in the character’s discussion about death demonstrates to the audience how people’s lives extinguish with time.
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Even in the current world, human being are prone to death and it only happens once. Despite the fact that both tales were composed 700 BC, they still emphasis on death ( Rausch et al., 2014, p.640) . It used as a mark of how temporary the life on earth can be. According to the Odysseus, death and old age are hidden and only revealed to the gods. That indicated the degree of uncertainty human beings live with in the universe. Every time a person dies, a message is sent to those who still have an opportunity to breathe that their time is also limited. In both stories, death plays a significant role of teaching people not to worry as a result of relatives and friends leaving them. Reason being, it the fate of all men and time is the only difference.
Odyssey story tries to bring in the concept life extension. A similar opinion can be traced in today’s way of living where Christians depend merely on their God to extend their life span( Minchin, 2001,p.233) . Characters in both epics view death as a terminator of the relationship existing between human beings and gods. Therefore, true immortality might not be true since it only symbolizes an extension. Since gods can only delay death, the original fate of man to die still remains firm and unavoidable. According to The Epic of Gilgamesh , Utnapishtim only remains immortal due to the restoration plant he feeds on in the island ( Sanders, 1960, p.5) . If the gift of the plant is drawn away by the gods, he should go through the same cause of death. Indeed, death proves that man’s desire to live forever shall never come to pass.
Immortality can only be found in the memories of people. Both stories tend to agree on this fact and present a different view on death. If an individual dies in glory, there is a probability that humans remember him forever. However, Gilgamesh does not wish to meet death in war. Instead, the wish of becoming victorious still dominates the mind. He even goes ahead to tell Shamash that, “ I have looked over the wall and I see the bodies floating on the river, and that will be my lot also. Indeed I know it is so, for whoever is tallest among men cannot reach the heavens, and the greatest cannot encompass the earth ”( Sanders, 1960,p.13) . But having died fighting the Humbaba will provide an opportunity to be immortal for generations. From the other side of the Odyssey , Illiad talks much regarding gaining “Kleos” and having a glorious death ceremony ( Fitzgerald, 1961, p.352) . However, the story lacks reality with the theme since it is a homecoming tale. The only instance Odysseus seeks glory is where he encounters Cyclops. All the future problems of Odysseus are associated with the strong anxiety to achieve glory.
The Epic of Gilgamesh differs with the Odyssey in giving the benefits of a person dying in glory. Gilgamesh emphasizes on the immortal memories heroes acquire when they die. While on the other hand, author of the Odyssey seems to have a different approach by viewing glory-seeking as the trigger factor to death. Additionally, it the cause of Odysseus not reaching his destiny and the team members vanishing on their way home. The wife and son has to live a hopeless life just because of death. Therefore, the author used death of characters to show the suffering and metal torcher people undergo after losing their loved ones. For Odysseus, it does not matter whether a man dies victoriously or not but the consequences are bitter.
Later in the transition of the Gilgamesh epic story, the author tries to create an impression in the readers mind that glory might not be enough to make people opt for death. When Gilgamesh meets the heaven bull, things change drastically and death becomes fearful ( Simon, 2014, p.152) . The gods are convinced by the bull to take Enkidu’s life through sickness and not in glory as everyone desired. The situation becomes worse when the disease is prolonged to traumatize Gilgamesh and makes him discover that there is sorrow in death.Memories of past adventure occupies Gilgamesh mind but still fails to bring immortality in his brother’s life as expected. Therefore, death played the role of separation of two brothers who had high expectations.
The ability of death to enhance sorrow does not choose between and the small. Odysseus accumulates grief after learning the reality of final death at the Shade of Elpenor. Achilles also informs Odysseus that glory has no meaning by quoting that “ better… to break sod as a farm hand / for some poor country man, on iron rations, / than lord it over all the exhausted dead ” ( Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 513). He is made to worry more when the mother dies ad memories of his family becomes a bother. Death is only a few seconds away. Characters in both stories have learn much about impending personal death that hardly depends on individual’s relationship with friends and relatives. Heroes like Achilles also go through the same fate of death teaching people a lesson about the profound loss and suffering that comes with death. Drawing from the current situation in the 21st century, death detaches people from their loved ones and makes them live a lonely life.
The fact that Gilgamesh obtained the youth plant and later snatched form him before using it means that human life is fleeting hence cannot be controlled by man( Jager, 2001,p.131) . It is difficult to dictate the end results of life especially in matters concerning death. Only the gods have the power to make control immortality. Therefore, death in the two tales confirm that people live a life of uncertainty without a clue of what might happen the next minute. Authors of the two epic stories has concentrated more on the theme of death to create a sense of how meaningless the life of a human being can be.
Though both stories were written by people with cultural diversities the idea of death in the human life is similar. The authors have made people understand that there is no class, superiority or even age when it comes to matters pertaining death. Many characters in the have died living their loved ones in sorrow and unwanted suffering. The theme of death emphasizes on suffering as the end result. As a matter of fact people who experience the separation tend to mentally as well as emotionally affected regardless of whether a person dies in glory. Heroic memories as described in the Odyssey does not change the mourning situation ( Kearns, 2004, p.59) . At first, the author of Odyssey begins by denying meaning to people who mourn for the dead claiming that it is not right. However, even those characters who opt to die in glory realizes the impact of death after they are separated from their brothers. Indeed, nobody would wish to go through the experience unless age or the gods dictate the fate of a person.
What contributes to characters supporting the idea of dying in glory is the fear of being forgotten by the community. Their wish is to leave behind a legacy that shall be passed from generation to the other. However, death limits them from achieving the desire of their hearts. That teaches the audience a lesson that the things people do in life are just but a bridge to the spiritual world. No matter how good a person can be, death will erase all personalities and people end up forgetting. Death also plays a vital role by reminding humans that it is good to do things when there is a chance since no one knows the time cause of death. That is made evident by Gilgamesh after the death of Enkidu when he cries saying, “ Despair is in my heart. What my brother is now, that shall I be when I am dead ” (Sanders, 1960, p.26). Life requires people to enjoy and cherish by doing right before turning to the dormant and exhausting state of death. Ultimately, being alive is a gift from the gods and still an opportunity to accomplish the pending wishes of men’s hearts.
References
Fitzgerald, R. (1961). Homer: The Odyssey. Garden City, New York, NY: Doubleday .273-611
Jager, B. (2001). The birth of poetry and the creation of a human world: An exploration of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology , 32 (2), 131-154.
Kearns, E. (2004). The Gods in the Homeric epics. The Cambridge Companion to Homer , 59-73.
Minchin, E. (2001). Homer and the resources of memory: some applications of cognitive theory to the Iliad and the Odyssey. Pg.233-235
Rausch, R., Dirks, H., Kallioras, A., &Schueth, C. (2014). The Riddle of the Springs of Dilmun—Does the Gilgamesh Epic Tell the Truth?. Groundwater , 52 (4), 640-644.
Sanders, N. K. (1960). The Epic of Gilgamesh: An English Version with an Introduction . Penguin Books. Pg.1-33
Simon, B. (2014). Tragic Drama and the Family: the Killing of Children and the Killing of Story-telling. Discourse in Psychoanalysis and Literature , 152-175.
