THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Heroism entails several things; a selfless act, courage, and the accomplishments of bold and daring expeditions. Commonly in ancient literature, a hero is most often of divine ancestry, but in The Epic of Gilgamesh the supposed hero, Gilgamesh, is a mortal. In the many interpretations of the poem, readers can question Gilgamesh’s character. Does he possess enough heroic traits to be classified as a hero? As the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh rules over his people in an extremely harsh manner, causing many to fear and silently resent his presence. Gilgamesh deviates far from a perceivable heroic image, because he is a tyrannical leader and an egocentric yet fatuous man.

Gilgamesh often mistreats the men and women of Uruk. “He is not your nicest king. He is a tyrant and oppressor,” (Korte), because the manner in which he governs shows his callousness. The men are always in combat at his order. It is obvious he does not care about their exhaustion or personal well-being, because ...