Dreams can be powerful. A few famous novels started as dreams, including Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and the vampire Twilight series. There are two sets of dreams, both in Gilgamesh and real life. Sleep often brings images from the subconscious until waking up. In rare instances, a person can have lucid dreams where they become aware its all in the mind. Sometimes that awareness allows for a certain amount of freedom to shape what happens in the dream. The other kind is daydreaming, where the conscious is fully in control. It is often described as wandering thoughts concerned with possible hopes about the future.
Both kinds of dreams mix for the great hero as he contemplates the next move toward fame and immortality. Gilgamesh is already the great king of Uruk, and an unreported dream confirms that as his destiny. His friend Enkidu acted as the dream interpreter. Despite achieving kingship, Gilgamesh becomes bored with idleness. He wants something more and turns his mind to The Land of the Living where a great Monster Humbaba watches over a cedar forest. He decides killing the great god-beast will bring him fame and immortality alongside heroes of the past. Each step of the dangerous mission brings more sleeping dreams, guiding his decisions. There is a connection between achieving goals and understanding the subconscious messages. They both work together in defeating the forest monster.
Despite his thirst for fame in the great hunt, Gilgamesh had lots of help. It came from the encouragement of the Uruk town council, the prayers of his mortal mother, and Shamash the Sun deity. Of course, his great friend Enkidu stood by his side the whole time. At first Enkidu was reluctant to go on this journey to defeat a seemingly invincible foe, but at the end it was him that convinced Gilgamesh to finish what was intended. Both helped the other whenever fear, exhaustion, or reservations almost ended the struggle.
Although the battle is against a monster, there is the possibility more is at stake. Similar to the culturally raised Gilgamesh meeting with the wild lived Enkidu, it is civilization's struggle to dominate nature. Strangely, when Gilgamesh considers showing mercy to the great forest beast, Enkidu reminds him of why they took the journey and struck the first blow. They then began to level the cedars as a final act of total victory. Despite the odds, nature can be overcome.
Sweet as the victory might have been, it comes with a heavy price. Gilgamesh interpreted his desire to destroy Humbaba as coming from the highest god Enlil. That assumption appears to have been wrong, because Enlil who formed the Earth and the monster becomes angry. He curses the men and gave the power that belonged only to Humbaba to other aggressive forces. Nature can be defeated, but other dangers will take its place that might be worse.
The most ancient of stories dealt with the interaction of mortals with gods. The great Homeric epics of the Iliad and Odyssey are primarily religious texts. Modern readers can become lost or disoriented by the unfamiliar pantheon of divine characters that may or may not have been worshipped at the time of the writing. They make good stories no matter what is actually believed. It might be best to check the back of a book translation for a glossary. Read the chapters twice if necessary, getting a view of the strange names and landscape before concentrating on the story. Recognizing the context of when the names appear might be all that is needed before more clarity the next time.
Writing Assignments:
Keep a journal next to the bed and write down any dreams first thing after waking up. Do this for at least a week. Take any of the dreams, or combination of them, and write a story based on the dreams picked.
Imagine having to leave home and live outside of civilization. Study survival techniques. What struggles might be encountered? Compare the pros and cons of living in civilization and in the wild.
Come up with a great adventure that a hero must take. Don't make the hero all powerful. Add friends, family, and other allies who must be relied on to help. Maybe consider times when others did the same for you.
Vocabulary:
destiny
councilor
quench
execration
rancour
hierophants
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