The story of King Uruk, or Gilgamesh, is widely recognized as the first known explanation of the relationship between humans and gods. In other words, The Epic of Gilgamesh is the first mention of mythology in our world. To be more exact, the piece’s primary focus is on King Uruk’s transformation from a horrible ruler to a kind one when he is forced to face mortality.
As stated, the main character of this story is the King of Uruk, who now serves as a reminder that in the early times, humans used to feel the same as we did. According to Anneberg Learner (2021), this writing is older than Bible since it is “four thousand years old in its oldest form.” Therefore, The Epic of Gilgamesh describes the life of Uruk’s ruler, above all other kings, considering that he was special, “he was two-thirds divine and one-third human” (Anneberg Learner, 2021). However, when the gods realized that they could not handle such an arrogant ruler, they sent Gilgamesh’s copy, Enkidu. Finally, the King of Uruk realized the significance of social interaction, “wonderful about being engaged with another human being” (Anneberg Learner, 2021). It is significant to note that Enkidu actually started the same way as Adam and, consequently, was humanized by the prostitute sent by the gods. Still, one fatal mistake of Enkidu and Gilgamesh leads to the first’s inevitable death, and when the King of Uruk realizes that his friend is dead, he starts seeking immortality.
Overall, the story’s main idea is that the gods created immortality only for themselves, while humans will always be followed by death. Eventually, as Gilgamesh’s chance to live forever was stolen by a serpent, he finally realized his treasure, knowing the past and ability to return back to his city. At the end of the story, the town survives its ruler, which is why such a powerful message leads to the human population remembering it ever since.
Reference
Annenberg Learner. (2020). The Epic of Gilgamesh. Web.