The hero might be strong, beautiful, leader of a nation, and even quarter-god. None of that matters in the end. He will still die like other mortals. That is the great lesson learned from the long journey. It isn't the answer he wanted, but its the one he must eventually accept. No special abilities can be granted or learned to stop the destiny shared by all humanity.
At first Gilgamesh refused to believe that the Faraway husband and wife could do nothing to save him from death. In answer to his constant questioning, they gave him a test to stay awake for six days and seven nights. There is no proof they could have given him eternal life if he would have succeeded. Most likely it was a lesson to teach him the nature of mortal bodies. Scientific research is inconclusive how long a person can go without sleep. In cases where a person has gone more than a week without sleep, they lose body and brain control as thinking and reactions slow down. They can't even go completely without sleep during those times, as they drift into half consciousness and become relatively non-responsive.
Unlike lab experiments or traumatic life episodes, there is no outside stimulus to stay awake. Gigamesh must prove on his own that he can go without sleep. Knowing that he won't trust them and needing proof, the Faraway wife bakes break each day of the test. Utnapishtim, the immortal hero of the flood, gives him a nudge to awaken after six and a half days. As expected the now awake traveler denies he had fallen asleep, but the bread tells another tale. The different conditions of the breads acts as more than identifying the length of days. Each one can be considered a metaphor for each generation of mortal life. It ranges from the very old "crusty" twilight years, to the fresh new born not fully developed. The bread of life can become stale or worse; moldy and ready to be thrown out.
Having learned a sad lesson, one last secret is given. There is a plant located at the bottom of the Faraway ocean with medicine like qualities. Any mortal who uses it can become young once more. Gilgamesh becomes excited by the hope of once again gaining eternal life by returning to a youthful state. Harvesting the plant from the bottom of the ocean, he calls it "The Old Men are Young Again," and starts to head home. It is an old story similar to the Fountain of Youth, where a special medicine or natural remedy returns the body to physical fitness. Like all such tales, this one ends up a false hope. On the trip home the plant is stolen by a serpent who sheds its skin and becomes young. The great secret of eternal life, even if no more than an extension of that life, is once again out of the grasp of mortals. Death is the one monster that the great hero cannot conquer. He has no control and owns no weapons strong enough to hold back mortality.
Returning home, Gilgamesh shows the ocean ferryman the great walled city built from burnt brick. With a renewed sense of accomplishment, having stopped mourning for the loss of his friend and again washed and put on clean clothes, he proudly points out all sections of the city he helped build. Death cannot be avoided, but there is one way to remain immortal for other generations. Going back to his original idea, he writes the story of his life and adventures on a stone wall for all to read. Others will remember him long after the body dies. Assuming the stories were true, he obviously succeeded. Reading this commentary on the text is evidence that Gilgamesh lives on.
The final chapter will be a memorial to his life.
Writing Assignments:
Think back on the stories of Gilgamesh in the epic. Make up a tale about the man. What other adventures might he have encountered? Fill in the gap somewhere in his story. Whatever is written, he must be recognizable as the same character.
The character of Gilgamesh changes and develops with each adventure. He is not a flat personality. Review the text and trace how each story effects or transforms him. Was the prologue description accurate? Describe the differences between the man at the end of the tales and the one at the start.
Pick three of the gods in the epic. Write a story based on them interacting with humanity. Don't forget to include the differences in personality and powers they possess. Will they help or hurt humanity by their actions? How will humans react to this interference?
Vocabulary:
fleece
banish
fillet
virtue
terrace
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