Beowulf and Gilgamesh

The Essays: (#2) World Cultures

Your normal Wednesday writing post has been replaced with one of the Essays series. I am currently in the last two weeks of my classes and am currently writing three papers and doing a power point presentation all within the next 14 days.

So, this paper is from my World Cultures class and is the 4^th paper I’ve written in my Academic career to feature Beowulf, though this paper is also a comparison between Beowulf and Gilgamesh. This was written before I broke the habit of two spaces after a period and while I was still figuring out MLA properly again, but I think it’s a fun essay.

I hope you all enjoy.

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Quest for Immortality, the Archetype of a Hero.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes from the smallest Hobbit burglar to the Incredible Hulk, all backgrounds and cultures, so what exactly defines a hero, what separates them from the rest of the mere mortals?  Most heroes have to complete a Quest, a journey that will create the hero’s legend and immortality, so the only way to truly understand what makes a hero is to discover what traits are universal to them and then to see how these traits interact within the framework of said Quest.  Both Beowulf and The Epic of Gilgamesh explore the theme of the archetype of the hero by showing that they share many of the same common traits, and also that they have differences, in motivation, origin, and action; as defined by the frame-work of their respective quests.

The first step in understanding the Archetype of the hero requires a framework in which to place the stories in context, and to weigh and measure the traits they reveal.  The Quest is the journey that the Hero undertakes and is the most important thing that they all have in common.  Whether the Quest is an actual physical journey fraught with danger or an inner emotional self assessment they both fulfill the same goal; they give the hero a challenge to rise to.  How they interact with these challenges and what they take away from them is how the hero is measured.  Once the quest is measured the next step is to analyze the origins, motivations, and actions performed during its course.  The final analysis of the hero’s actions and choices gives the hero’s immortality, not in the form of undying flesh but in the everlasting legend, the saga, of the hero.

Beowulf’s quest is straightforward.  Beowulf is a renowned local hero who journeys from the lands of the Geats to Denmark to help with a murderous and dark curse.  The Danes are under attack by a monstrous creature named Grendel who sneaks into their mead-hall at night and murders men.  Beowulf, as “the strongest of the Geats—greater/ And stronger than anyone anywhere in the world/” (Raffel 11), and hears of Hrothgar’s plight and declares that he will sail immediately to help him.  He has volunteers a plenty, and selects 14 men and goes north.  He is loved and revered as a strong and great man already, but still he seeks to do more.  His motivation is based on doing the deed simply for the sake of doing the deed, the very definition of virtue summed up in a mighty warrior.  His major traits are great strength, and the story tells us he had a, “mighty battle-grip […] with thirty men’s strength” (Raffel 19) and are shown by his swimming contests, where he plunged into the north sea and swam towards Norway in armor and carrying a naked sword, “and after the fifth day a great swell did part him from his competitor, and in the stormy night he was set upon by seas beasts, nine he slew” (Raffel 24-8) To paraphrase, and a willingness to set himself onto a dangerous path, pure bravery.  So strength, boldness, bravery, and the willingness to rise to any challenge seem to define him as a hero.  Now facing these challenges and rising to them is exactly what the Quest is all about and as such Beowulf is the perfect archetype for this definition of a hero, the virtuous warrior.

Beowulf is also a polite and well spoken man.  When he and his men arrive in Denmark Beowulf is accosted by the Coastguard who demands to know his business. Beowulf introduces himself as a servant to a great King and the son of a famous father; he does not talk about himself in any way.  Instead he explains that he has come to help King Hrothgar in his plight, his words are eloquent and highly respectful:  “…[We] have come seeking/ Your Prince, Healfdane’s son, protector/ Of his people, only in friendship […]/ Our errand/ Is a great one, our business with the glorious king/” (Raffel 14).  Beowulf shows nothing but respect and openness, and his words seem to impress the Coastguard who allows all of the Geats to continue to the mead hall completely armed.  Later, while drinking with the men in the hall and being personable Beowulf gets called out by Unferth, one of the warriors who attempts to shame him, or at the least imply that Beowulf is an impulsive fool.  Beowulf’s retort is measured and equally well spoken as he tells the tale of his swimming contest with Brecca.  While some parts of his account do come across as boastful, his measured response and constant use of “not to boast” lends credence to his story.  At this point the story when Grendel, the monster, finally arrives.  It is a life and death struggle that Beowulf almost loses, but through sheer strength and will, he wins the match and kills the beast.  However, this part of the quest is far from over and there is only a brief reprieve before Grendel’s mother appears to then bring vengeance down on them all.  When asked to fight a second monster Beowulf’s response is “Let your sorrow end! It is better for us all/ To avenge our friend’s, not mourn them forever,/ Each of us will come to the end of this life./ On earth; he who can earn it should fight/ For the glory of his name; fame after death/ Is the noblest of goals.” (Raffel 62)  The Geat hero has been somewhat Christianized to be sure, but Beowulf is willing to die in pursuit of this quest, knowing that his legend will live on after he is gone.  Again Beowulf is the epitome of the virtuous hero.  He is a selfless man who lives his life right and defends others.  He uses his gifts to better those around him just as much as to better his own situation.

However, The Epic of Gilgamesh, the story of the world’s “first action hero,” presents a very different take on the hero.  Using today’s standards Gilgamesh could actually be defined as an anti-hero; he is deeply flawed, selfish, arrogant, and not even human, but by the end of his quest he has become more human.  Perhaps in the context of the time this story was written, anything that attempts to humanize a King to act better with his people is as much to teach the king how to be a better ruler, as to teach the general populace about being a hero.  While Beowulf’s quest is about building his legend and spreading his virtue to those around him, Gilgamesh’s quest is engineered by the gods to teach him a lesson in humility.  The first challenge is to give him an equal, this they do with the creation of the wild-man Enkidu.  Enkidu is equal in strength and stamina to Gilgamesh and the two come to a stalemate, and embrace as brothers.  It can be argued that the gods’ plan failed, that Enkidu didn’t humble Gilgamesh, but instead the two formed a team and decided to face a challenge worthy of their combined might.  But it can also be equally argued that now that Gilgamesh had a friend and adventure in mind he was no longer harassing the people of Urik.  This is the beginning of a series of challenges that Gilgamesh will throw himself into; at the start these smaller challenges are more selfish in motive, but the overall effect of successes and failures combine to humanize Gilgamesh and ultimately bring him to his immortality.  The first challenge the duo take up is to travel to the Cedar Forest and to defeat the Giant Humbaba.  Despite their preparations and bravado, upon facing the giant Gilgamesh breaks down in fear, realizing for the first time that he could die.  “(Only) the gods can dwell forever with Shamash./ As for human beings, their days are numbered,/ and whatever they keep trying to achieve is but wind!/ Now you are afraid of death—/ what has become of your bold strength?/ I will go in front of you,/ and your mouth can call out: ‘Go on closer, do not be afraid!’/ Should I fall, I will have established my fame./ (They will say:) ‘It was Gilgamesh who locked in battle with/ Humbaba the Terrible!’”(Kovacs 2.4)  In context to other types of heroes this scene would undermine their character, but the essential truth of Gilgamesh’s quest is discovering humanity, and in context to Gilgamesh humanity must be defined by vulnerability and humility.  While his motive—add “giant-killer” to his name and claim the Cedar Forest—is “un-heroic” Gilgamesh does learn from this and that by definition of the quest is a key part to the story, and defining the hero.  This story is meant to show both the taming of Gilgamesh but also to inform and change the reader.  This creates the first turning point in our hero from anti-hero.

There is a theory that Gilgamesh’s quest is fore-ordained, or at the least that there was a framework that the gods deemed acceptable to torment—scare straight—Gilgamesh.  In other words the gods planned first to humble him with an equal in Enkidu and then to scare him with his mortality when he faced the giant.  Things go awry in that Gilgamesh does kill Humbaba, he succeeds and his ego rises again.  Now at this point it must be assumed that not all the gods are on the same page, and Ishtar comes down to offer herself as wife to Gilgamesh, who promptly insults her that he knows how her husbands fare.  This insult was not part of the plan and the Bull of Heaven is released on the Duo.  One could suppose the Bull is meant to kill Enkidu and scare Gil into compliance, but the fact that the duo also slaughter the bull changes things.  The death of Enkidu is a major turning point for Gilgamesh and is the second moment where Gilgamesh questions his mortality.  He has been a demi-god, ruler of a city, everything that he wants has been his for the taking; and now he fears death.  He descends into a temporary madness spending too long in mourning, he doesn’t even bury Enkidu until after a maggot falls out of his nostril.  “Six days and seven nights I mourned over him/ and would not allow him to be buried/ until a maggot fell out of his nose./ I was terrified by his appearance(?),” (Kovacs 2.10).  After the funeral Gilgamesh experiences another moment of selfishness, he fears his own death and throws himself into an epic quest to find true immortality.  He plans to find Utanapishtim, the only mortal to ever become a god, in the Faraway, a mythical nether realm.  His dogged perseverance on this quest brings to mind Beowulf’s unflagging will to win.  Gilgamesh travels across foreign lands, over mountains, into inhuman lands, through a tunnel of darkness and finally finds his way to the faraway and the realm of death.  He is given two chances to gain true immortality and loses both of them.  The first is the simplest, all he must do is stay awake for six days and seven nights, but upon just hearing those words he sits down and immediately falls asleep for a week.  The second chance is given to him on his way home, he is told of a plant that can return youth at the bottom of the sea.  Gilgamesh succeeds in getting the plant and returns to Uruk, but before reaching the city he decides to take a bath and make himself presentable for his return.  While bathing a snake slithers in his pants, finds the immortality plant and eats it, shedding its skin and becoming young again.  Broken and dejected he returns home with the ferryman, Urshanabi, upon seeing the walls of Uruk, Gilgamesh finally learns the true lesson and realizes what his immortality will be, “Go up, Urshanabi, onto the wall of Uruk and walk around./ Examine its foundation, inspect its brickwork thoroughly—/ is not (even the core of) the brick structure of kiln-fired brick,/ and did not the Seven Sages themselves lay out its plan?/ One league city, one league palm gardens, one league lowlands, the open area(?) of the Ishtar Temple,/ three leagues and the open area(?) of Uruk it (the wall)/ encloses.” (Kovacs 2.11).  Seeing his great city he knows he will be remembered as a great ruler, especially if he treats his people better.  Gilgamesh has taken a journey from being a spoiled brat and demi-god to being the good and humanized ruler of Uruk.

Gilgamesh learns from every lesson and he also doesn’t quit, both traits that are important to defining the hero.  Failure is only another lesson to be learned.  In this Gilgamesh exceeds, he learns from every lesson, even if the initial teachings might go astray, by the end he is a worthy king and a great figure again.  Between both stories the natures of their quests have similarities, but they go in different directions.  Beowulf starts out as a local hero who expands his fame and legend, but who already is accepts his mortality and understands that his immortality will be found in his legend after he is dead.  Gilgamesh is a barely human king who already has riches, treasure, respect, lands… he wants for nothing.  Beowulf is building a legend, Gilgamesh is bringing down an ego and humanizing a character; both are creating a lasting hero.

While both stories follow very different paths, they both have a similar goal for their heroes and that is immortality.  Not the true immortality of never dying flesh, but the immortality within the hearts of their people and their legends.  Besides great strength, heroes need wisdom and the ability to learn from both failure and success.  While they don’t need to be fearless they do need to overcome that fear, and to always be moving forward.  The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf have given us two enduring stories with two very different heroes.  A spoiled, demi-god, anti-hero versus a virtuous, will-driven, warrior-sage; both of them still found the immortality at the end of their quest, even if it was different then what they started out for, they have given the world a lesson, and an archetype.

Works Cited

Kovacs, Maureen Gallery. “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” Early Word Literature, Soomo Learning, 2nd Ed. 2017

Raffel, Burton. Beowulf. Signet Classics. 2008

Ringler, Dick. Beowulf. Early World Literature, Soomo Learning. 2nd Ed. 2017