The God-Man-King

"I will declare to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh," starts out the prologue setting up the hero of the story. The description of the character is more than a hero, but a superhero of unsurpassed strength,  experience, and intelligence.  Today's myths of the comic books have a start with the first stories. Perhaps the comic superheroes are for entertainment in modern times, but long ago there were lessons to be learned by the deeds and character of these more than humans. Like Hercules and Achilles after him, Gilgamesh was born of both god and human parentage. This gave him advantages that no mortal could match. Similarly, this fact will have grave consequences for both him and those he rules. It wouldn't be much of a story if that weren't part of the conflict.

Historically the ancient stories of Gilgamesh and the Greek writer Homer did not start on parchment or stone. They were oral traditions that were sung by hired musicians who performed through memory. Over time the stories grew and changed with the necessities and preferences of the times. There was no radio or television to sit down with every evening. Even then, most people worked from dusk until dawn hoping to live each day at a time. The rich with more time on their hands could afford the luxuries of entertainment. During the Greek and Roman times more people could enjoy dramatic plays, but usually as festivals on holidays celebrating Pagan religion. The Middle Ages had passion plays with Christian themes performed by traveling actors, although given far less respect than anciently.

Much later oral traditions were eventually written down as if never having an extensive history behind them. Gilgamesh, like Bilbo Baggins from Lord of the Rings, went on a long journey and then wrote down his adventures. Supposedly, this is where all the information came from for the great epic poem. He told it himself first and others picked it up later to tell people.  Of course, that isn't true, but it works for the story to give it some sense of reality.

His lasting name is emphasised by explaining a great temple that he helped build that, from the point of view of the ancients of his time, remained standing. The structure is so great that no other can compare. Today there are buildings standing that might give an idea of what the story intents to describe. Ziggurats are ancient temples in Mesopotamia where Gilgamesh is from, made of bricks with shapes like the ancient Egyptian pyramids. In a way,  although his own awe inspiring Ziggurat might have never existed, the character does live close to a literary immortality without the need of the great stone building. The stylus in stone is mightier than the mason tools.

Writing Assignments:

Imaging your life as a great journey to where you are now. Write a story based on what you consider major events. Don't worry about exactness and truth. Many great novels are semi-biographical, meaning that authors used their own life as a starting point to a greater story.

Think of all the modern superheroes, and then develop your own. Where do they come from? What powers do they have? How did they get their powers? What kind of a person does the powers create?

Think of the description of Gilgamesh from the prologue. With that information as a foundation, write an original adventure based off what is known about the man.

Vocabulary:

Engraved.
Endowed.
Glorious.
Rampart.
Firmament.