"Epic of Gilgamesh" and "Confessions"

Paper Summary:

This paper explores why both the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "Confessions" currently continue to endure, even today, in regards to our perception of God, man's place in the universe, life and death, as well as fundamental human situations. The striking similarities between the main characters in both works are also explained in detail.

From the Paper:

"One of the most striking similarities between the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and Augustine's "Confessions" is that the main characters are both wild and undisciplined in their youth. Gilgamesh is in fact the terror of his country, whose licentious behavior has angered his people, while Augustine freely admits that his own youth was characterized by sexual affairs. Furthermore, both men are saved from themselves by God (or the gods, as the case may be), who takes an active role in redeeming the hero.
The first book of the "Epic of Gilgamesh" opens with a passage describing how his people have begun to tire of his antics, ending with the question: "Is this shepherd of Uruk's flocks, our strength, our light, our reason, who hoards the girls of other men for his own purpose?"(1). Indeed, Gilgamesh is in some danger of becoming the villain of the epic, one "who harshly ruled and was not loved by those men whose girls he often played with all night long"

More papers on "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "Confessions":

• Comparison Essay # 106310 : "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and "Genesis"
• Comparison Essay # 47283 : "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and the Bible"
• Descriptive Essay # 94741 : "The Epic of Gilgamesh"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: