The Fate of Gilgamesh

The Fate of Gilgamesh

In the Epic of Gilgamesh there is a large body of evidence that Gilgamesh’s life was predestinated. Gilgamesh, being the son of a goddess, Ninsun, and a great king opens the door for the gods to be involved in his life. Gilgamesh, being two-thirds god and one-third man, created a special circumstance for the path of his life. Gilgamesh was groomed for the kingship. The enormous walled city of Uruk ruled by the great king Gilgamesh; however, the epic is given life by a narrator who in turn becomes Gilgamesh by the end of the spiral epic. This spiral epic ends the same place it began. Quotes will be used to prove that Gilgamesh’s destiny was foreknown by the gods. Enkidu’s creation by Aruru, Ninsun’s prayer to the great sun god Shamash, and Anu, the father of the gods, and Enlil, the god of the wind and storm quote’s after Gilgamesh’s death will be used as evidence to prove that Gilgamesh’s life was predestinated.

In the poem Gilgamesh predestination is very possible because the gods are always working to affect the lives of the poem’s characters. For example, Enkidu is only created by the goddess Aruru because of the tyrannical actions of Gilgamesh upon the people of Uruk. Gilgamesh, being two-thirds god and one-third man, gives the king a sense of privilege. Once Gilgamesh has Enkidu to balance his actions, they look out from the small town of Uruk to the world. The gods are the ones planning and leading the destiny of Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the characters of the poem. So, predestination is a very possible outcome for Gilgamesh. The narrator of the epic gives the sense that the gods planned Gilgamesh’s dealings with the people of Uruk.

Second, Gilgamesh and Enkidu are preparing to face Humbaba, the keeper of the cedar forest. Enkidu frames a very persuasive argument to Gilgamesh about not facing Humbaba in the cedar forest. Enkidu was raised in the wilderness with the animals; therefore, he understands the...