Topic > Essay on the Epic of Gilgamesh - 623

Ishtar is hurt at being rejected, so she tells her father to send the bull to punish Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought the bull and killed it. After killing the bull, they meet and come to the conclusion that one of them must die because together they are too powerful. Once Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh's life loses all meaning and he is tormented by the fear of death. He decides that the only thing to do is meet Utanapishtim, the only human who has been granted immortality by the gods. He sets out on a journey beyond the eastern edge of the earth, where the sun rises, to discover the secret of immorality. Later, Gilgamesh traveled to the ends of the world and learned the secrets of other Gods. Gilgamesh then travels to the desert and is destined to find Utnapishtim, the Mesopotamian Noah, to figure out how to avoid dying. Gilgamesh wanted to live forever, so Utnapishtim tested him to see if he could stay awake for an entire week, but Gilgamesh failed. Utnapishtim's wife told Gilgamesh about a plant that restores youth, so Gilgamesh took her back with him to Uruk. Although the plant was stolen from him, he realizes that the city he was trying to escape was a better place for him