by Larry Lounsbury

Created on: September 15, 2010

Gilgamesh Deciphered

     The Gilgamesh Myth is a local Sumerian-Akkadian prose narrative that echoes the beliefs of the people of early Mesopotamian literature. Myths such as Gilgamesh usually are far fewer than legends and folktales, yet they hold a commonly held universal truth that seems to reoccur throughout man’s history.

     Gilgamesh’s journey is thus one of a man whose lust for fame eventually changes to one of trying to find the key to immortal life.  This search for immortality is a universal held quest that men throughout the ages have yearned for. Some could call this story a folktale, others a legend, and yet others may call it a myth. But In this myth there are some interesting names of characters, Echoes of cataclysmic events; and even religious Icons that are universal revered in many ancient and modern cultures.

      Yet, an epic myth can be colored by questionable references and still be part of a scientific truth. Author William Bascom states, “ it is entirely possible that the same tale may be a folktale in one society, a legend in a second society, and a myth in a third,”(Boscom,13). If later we discover that the text of the The Gilgamesh Epic was actually written from an Amorite Perspective or even a Semitic perspective perhaps we may just discover that it too was just a copy of an older version. In Benjamin R. Foster’s Chapter called “Akkadian Literature” it is stressed that , “Many Akkadian literary works were recopied  and edited  over a period of centuries, so they can’t be dated with certainty. Most Akkadian was written by and for a small elite group of urban educated professionals  and administrators at royal courts. This means much in Akkadian literature responds to interests concerns , traditions , values  and ideologies of such people, “ (Foster, 138). Thus the plot of the story, fame, death and search for immortality could easily be rewritten for some other society.

     Searching through the tablets of Gilgamesh the reader will find mention of a flood. “He brought back a tale of times before the flood,” (Dalley,50). Thus in the sense of Gilgamesh the primitive is persuaded that floods and such are not controllable, but customs and laws which may affect your relationship with your city god can be followed. Therefore it is best to obey them! “Myths

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