The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay Example for Free

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay What is the historical significance of The Epic of Gilgamesh? The historical significance of The Epic of Gilgamesh was being the first masterpiece of World Literature that dated back in 2800 BCE. The Epic of Gilgamesh portrayed the lifestyle, believed, and culture of people lived during that era. The story of Gilgamesh hold tremendous history values since the it was lost in 100 BEC until the British Archeologist found it again in 1840s CE. Rediscovered the tablet of the Gilgamesh allows present day to make connection with the past. What does this story tell us about the human condition? The human condition in that era are consider to be undeveloped and Gilgamesh portrait as a king with power to do whatever he wish until the gods decides to punish him. From that example of the story it tell us that the society follow under one ruler and class between rich and poor are greatly divided. What does this story tell us about the culture that produced it? Base on the story of Gilgamesh, people did not fully understand dead or know how to cope with dead but instead they strongly believe in gods and mythology creatures. I believe that Men and Women are being view as equal and they are fairly open about their sexual lifestyle in the story of Gilgamesh. Men and women share the same level of social status and women play important role during Gilgameshs era which can be seen as Shamhat, a mortal who was sent to by the gods to seduce Enkidu and change him from the beast lifestyle to human lifestyle. Does this epic hold any message for us today? The message in The Epic of Gilgamesh tell us that human in that era staring to realized and question the separation of life and dead. As of today, we are still trying to understand and define whether people life end when they die or there are other world that specify for the dead. This epic also point out that human are design to live in a society, and not meant to be alone. This can be seen as Gilgamesh changed when he met Enkidu, Gilgamesh also learned the important of a friendship, companionship, and lastly learned how to grief a love one when Enkidu died.