This passage in particular highlights the finality of death and how Gilgamesh ultimately faces the same ending as other ordinary people. Despite the wisdom and courage that he had, it was not enough to overcome the fragility of human life. The imagery behind Gilgamesh "[going] into the mountain" suggests that he might be going to the underworld and shows that there is an afterlife after death. Another theme that a reader would think about is the meaning of life as Gilgamesh was unable to complete his main goal despite his accolades and characteristics. It does raise questions about the purpose of human existence and how people should view life and death. With this being the case, the ending and epic in general does a good job highlighting the fact that our time and existence is very limited which is why it is important to cherish every moment and make the most of it. Moreover, the ending of the epic does a good relaying the main message of the epic which is that human connection and contributions to society can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment which makes life worth living despite everyone knowing that their time will eventually come to an end. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

This quote really highlights how Gilgamesh's effort and quest in general for immortality ended up being a failure as he was not able to achieve this goal. It shows how people can put their best effort into accomplishing a goal and still not be able to achieve it which is seen through Gilgamesh. Many people that have succeeded talk about how hard work is not enough to actually reach success. There is some luck involved in being successful especially with ambitious goals and we can see that luck was missing in the case for Gilgamesh which led him to falling short of his goal. He is now at a position where he must reconsider his goals and priorities since the goal was the main focus in his life for a long stretch of time so it will be interesting to see how that perspective shapes as the story goes on. Not only must he reconsider his priorities, but he must evaluate his life since immortality is no longer a guarantee for him so that anxiousness exists once again and he must learn to accept that his time alive will be limited. The epic seems to suggest that our time being alive is better to be limited since the quality of life is more important the quantity or else life itself would no longer be enjoyable. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The catastrophic flood symbolizes a punishment for the people as they have committed a lot of sins and this is their way of making it up to the gods. With the phrase "smashed the land like a cup", it truly encapsulates the destructive nature of the flood and how the humans were so helplessness in that moment. We also learn that the gods are in fear of the flood because of how powerful it is highlighting the vulnerability that exists between both humans and divine beings. Water is always known to have significant meanings in many cultures which means that the flood is supposed to be a punishment for humans for their wrongdoings. There is a story in the Bible where God punished humans as he sees a lot of corruption and does this through a flood. It is interesting to see that parallel between both texts and shows that floods are universally seen as punishments for humans. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Gilgamesh's impulse and actions have made it much more challenging for him to be able to reach immortality. It shows how there are limitations in humans that leads to mistakes which is seen through Gilgamesh. He has been creating his own challenges up to this point and becomes even more apparent in this moment. This is also another important or even turning point in this epic as Gilgamesh is forces to realize that he depends a lot on others and this has been one of the biggest reasons for the consequences he has been facing. While this may be the case, it also highlights his resilience and persistence in achieving immortality as he remains strong willed despite the challenges he faced so far. This is similar to how bad habits tend to ruin some of the goals people have because it distracts them and makes them lose focus on what they want to achieve. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Gilgamesh's journey to the underworld highlights a common experience people face when loved ones die and shows a common archetype that can be seen in a lot of heroes between movies and books. He will set out to become a better person that lives up to his potential after a loved one dies which is seen throughout many movies, shows, books, epics, and other pieces of writing. As a result, he seeks to become immortal since he has a new fear of death. He has come to the realization that his life can perish at anytime and wants to have a lasting legacy and he believes this can be done through immortality. In addition, this desire allows him to not be forgotten and allows him to not worry about his legacy being forgotten. It is interesting that he feels this way as a lot of people usually face the idea of disbelief when someone dies and have a hard time coming to accept that. On the other hand, Gilgamesh has a hard time accepting death itself which is now causing him a lot of pain and suffering. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Gilgamesh's words for Enkidu shows his love for Enkidu and the deep bond between the two of them and how he was devastated by his loss. The repetition of "weep" highlights how deeply Gilgamesh is mourning for him and creates a haunting yet melancholic tone at the same time to enhance the meaning behind his message. Vivid imagery plays a role in enhancing the emotions that are felt and showing the impact of Enkidu's death. His death also seems to suggest that there is a interconnectedness between humans, animals, and the environment as it is common between all three groups and something that haunts all of us. Something interesting to think about is how people show a lot of appreciation for another person after they have died. It is similar to the phrase that people will not be fully appreciated until they have died. While Gilgamesh appreciated having Enkidu as a companion and said nice things to him, it was not on this level and shows an inherent human flaw which is the inability to fully appreciate and recognize someone's efforts and qualities until they are gone. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Enkidu's death carries a lot of significance and shows the consequences of the decisions that both Gilgamesh and Enkidu made. For one thing, the death shows how fragile human life is and how it can easily be taken away at a moment's notice. The grief and sadness that Gilgamesh holds as a result of the death shows the effect that death can have on humans and relationships alike. We lost a part of ourselves when close ones die and the emotional toll is highlighted through Gilgamesh. It is similar to how people wonder why they are okay with putting so much time, resources, and love for pets when you know that they will die before you and that will cause a lot of pain and emotional suffering. The text itself seems to teach us that it more about the quality spent rather than the amount of time spent between loved ones. Not to mention, the power of words can be highlighted in this section as Enkidu's curses show the destruction that words hold and the reasons behind the current consequences up to this point. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The relationship between Gilgamesh and Ishtar is very compelling and challenges many ideas that we have seen before in other pieces. Gilgamesh was the one to reject Ishtar after she proposed her love for him especially being a powerful goddess which may have come as a big surprise and slap in the face for her. It challenges the gender norm that men are usually the ones to propose their love and the women are able to reject the man if they choose to. This is a very interesting take on that idea and shows that men should also be respected if they choose to reject a woman and that women can also step up and propose their love if that is how they feel. Not to mention, the idea of love is viewed differently between both people as Gilgamesh seeks more of an equal and Ishtar views it as possession over the other person. This is why the recounting of the previous lovers she has can tell a lot about Ishtar and why she is not a suitable partner for Gilgamesh. In a day and age where people are constantly looking for something better especially with dating apps, the epic reminds the audience to reject someone because of who they are as a person and if the qualities suggest that they might be a bad partner. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

At this point in the story, Enkidu and Gilgamesh come across their first challenge together and it was facing off against Humbaba. Their teamwork and trust in each other is fully evident and shows how much they rely on one another leading to their eventual victory. An interesting symbol is the cedar in this moment. The falling of the cedars can be seen as a symbolic victory over nature and Humbaba who is protecting the forest. This can be seen that way because they gain resources but also disturb the natural order that existed before them. Enil's anger is another interesting point to mention because it shows that the victory should not have happened and that possibly the gods had other plans in mind. People talk about the idea of destiny and whether their lives have already been planned out or if people have full control over their destiny. The take here appears to argue that humans can control their destiny but the gods typically have a plan in place that is usually followed in most circumstances. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Gilgamesh and Enkidu learn more about the Cedar Forest and the use of imagery helps the reader understand that is a sacred place and has lots of reverence. We can see some of the fear in the fact that they are in an unknown place and learning as they go along their journey. The mix of courage and fear from both characters show the bond that the two of them has created. Gilgamesh, the person who was complained about frequently has become better and has respect for Enkidu as he trusts him and relies on him throughout this journye and also listens to what he has to say when navigating through the forest. This shows why it is important for people to have friends or mentors that they respect because those are the people who can sway their opinion or change them for the better. Respect is crucial in any relationship and it can be seen here between Enkidu and Gilgamesh. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Gilgamesh is undergoing an interesting point in the story where he is starting to figure out whether he wants to have a legacy that will be remembered or just die altogether. It shows the theme of human mortality because people at some point eventually think about whether their life had a positive impact on others leading them to feel panicked. While Gilgamesh is contemplating and thinking about this, Enkidu serves as a good friend by his side offering support and advice for him. He serves as a good example as to why it is important to have the right people close to us as they can make challenging times feel a lot better and provide crucial support when it is needed the most. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Before Enkidu can face Gilgamesh and present himself as an equal, the reader can see how Enkidu must transform and changes himself in order to meet certain criteria in order to accomplish this goal. The harlot is responsible for changing Enkidu from being a wild being to someone who can be civilized and proper in their society. In a similar way, children grow up learning societal expectations and what is normal so that they can easily adapt and be accepted by others. It shows the importance of having a teacher or someone like our parents to guide us so that young children can be good members of society and we can see this through Enkidu. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The reader immediately figures out that Gilgamesh is an oppressive leader and tends to abuse his power. There are many rumors and people often talk about his poor leadership and how he takes advantage of others. As a result, people call for the gods to create a change in hopes of changing his behavior. Enkidu is created as a result to be an equal to Gilgamesh and keep his power in check. It reminds me of why checks and balances exist within the US government. If each of the three branches of government were not able to keep each other in check, then the President might be able to get away with some things that may result in bad consequences as a result. In a similar fashion, Gilgamesh does not have any checks and balances in which someone keeps him in check resulting in the people suffering as a result and why Enkidu is also created as a result. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The tone of this prologue suggests that Gilgamesh is a very powerful and important figure and places him at a high stature. Using a word like "perfect" to describe Gilgamesh further asserts the fact that Gilgamesh is highly respected and the rest of the story will highlight these strong qualities and present him favorably. It shows the divine nature of the hero of this epic and serves as a testament to Gilgamesh as a figure. In addition, the reader learns a lot about the storyteller and understands the weight that their tone carries. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)