Difference between revisions of "Who is Gilgamesh and what does he represent?"
(New page: ====The Story Behind the Conflict==== Ishtar, the goddess of love, procreation, and war, falls in love with Gilgamesh after his victorious battle against Humbaba, the forest demon. She lu...) |
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Ishtar, the goddess of love, procreation, and war, falls in love with Gilgamesh after his victorious battle against Humbaba, the forest demon. She lusts for him and his acceptance, but he turns her down. Enraged, she sends down the Bull of Heaven, which is promptly killed by Gilgamesh with the help of his companion, Enkidu. | Ishtar, the goddess of love, procreation, and war, falls in love with Gilgamesh after his victorious battle against Humbaba, the forest demon. She lusts for him and his acceptance, but he turns her down. Enraged, she sends down the Bull of Heaven, which is promptly killed by Gilgamesh with the help of his companion, Enkidu. | ||
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| + | ====Political/State Power==== | ||
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| + | Gilgamesh, being the king of Uruk, holds the power of the law and people in his own hands. He is not fully a god, although it has been shown that he was worshiped like one. Gilgamesh could have easily accepted Ishtar's offer and become her husband. However, he knew about the ill fates of her previous husbands, so he refused. If he had refused, she could very well have overwhelmed him and assume the role of power in the city for herself. The uneven balance between church (Ishtar) and state (Gilgamesh) is definitely present in this conflict. However, if he had married her, he would not have needed to kill the Bull of Heaven with Enkidu's help. Either way, under Ishtar's wrath and fury, there was a clash of powers from two totally different sides. | ||
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| + | http://electricliterature.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/gilgamesh_louvre.jpg | ||
Revision as of 22:40, 31 October 2011
The Story Behind the Conflict
Ishtar, the goddess of love, procreation, and war, falls in love with Gilgamesh after his victorious battle against Humbaba, the forest demon. She lusts for him and his acceptance, but he turns her down. Enraged, she sends down the Bull of Heaven, which is promptly killed by Gilgamesh with the help of his companion, Enkidu.
Political/State Power
Gilgamesh, being the king of Uruk, holds the power of the law and people in his own hands. He is not fully a god, although it has been shown that he was worshiped like one. Gilgamesh could have easily accepted Ishtar's offer and become her husband. However, he knew about the ill fates of her previous husbands, so he refused. If he had refused, she could very well have overwhelmed him and assume the role of power in the city for herself. The uneven balance between church (Ishtar) and state (Gilgamesh) is definitely present in this conflict. However, if he had married her, he would not have needed to kill the Bull of Heaven with Enkidu's help. Either way, under Ishtar's wrath and fury, there was a clash of powers from two totally different sides.
