A quest is a search or desire for something, it is a journey that must be undertaken to find what you desire/seek, it is a goal; it's something you pursue. In this story Gilgamesh goes on many quests, seeking what he desires, be it physical or mental, and does not stop until he finds what he desires. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Gilgamesh was a king in the city of Uruk, Mesopotamia, in the historical era; he was also seen as a hero. The Epic of Gilgamesh was one of the first recorded epics in the world of literature that focuses on civilization and political and social organizations, as well as cultural and social influences. Gilgamesh feared death and desired immortality; he wanted to live his whole life and didn't want to be forgotten. In the epic, feelings, emotions and personalities are put to the test; searches are undertaken to find comfort, friendship and clarity. Gilgamesh was born and raised in an area dominated by men, surrounded by power and strong beings. In this story of Gilgamesh, civilization is very visible as it refers to how many different individuals live in the city and how they live, indicates how they live moving forward, explores their opinions, cultures and behaviors. The city they live in could be seen as a polytheistic society because there are many rulers/gods such as priests, warriors, kings and nobles. In this story each of the Gods shapes and shapes people by playing an important role and influencing their choices in their daily lives. There are also many characters who play their part in this story with many different personalities and opinions on each other but also trying to influence where they can and leave a mark. A character who was close to Gilgamesh was Enkidu; he was seen as a best friend and a companion, someone who was by his side to encourage him in life in all his adventures. Shamhat was the temple prostitute/sex worker who seduced Enkidu and succeeded; she only cared about the beautiful/luxurious things in life. An important character was Anu; he was the father of the gods, that above all, and the god of the sky. Gilgamesh's parents were Lugulbanda who was the king of Uruk and his mother Ninsun who was seen as the goddess full of wisdom. Ishthar was the goddess of love and war, and Ut-Napistim was a survivor of the flood. Shamash was seen as a personal god for Gilgamesh. Two "bad" characters were the Bull of Heaven who tried to attack Gilgamesh and Enkidu and the main enemy was Humbaba, he was a demon and the most feared. Enkidu's father saw Gilgamesh as the strongest person and saw him as powerful and unbeatable. . Shamhat was ecstatic when she first mentioned Gilgamesh to Enkidu, spoke of his strength and how he overpowered others, praised his appearance and features, and portrayed him as the greatest who ever lived. At first, Enkidu despises Gilgamesh and it was not like him at all, they quarreled and fought against each other, but later they gained respect for each other, they became close friends. Gilgamesh's parents praised their son, especially his mother, she raised him and always cared about his well-being, especially when he went on dangerous missions, she always wanted him to be safe. One adventure/quest Gilgamesh undertook was to slay Humbaba, the ferocious demon and takes Enkidu with him, Enkidu however doubts their abilities and makes excuses not to proceed. Gilgamesh did not want to feel or be seen as weak, he would even risk dying as long as his legacy lived on and he was remembered as a hero. Enkidu put thoughts in his head and Gilgamesh sought advice and the only oneperson he knew would appreciate their opinion was Ninsun. Ninsun prayed to the gods for protection at all costs, to be safe, even if Enkidu was not even the son she wanted. To survive this quest, she was very fearful and was against what Gilgamesh was planning to do, but he hoped that success would come of it. Gilgamesh and Enkidu then began their journey to the cedar forest but as Gilgamesh lay there every night in the darkness, dreams consumed his mind, it is then that Gilgamesh begins to feel less powerful and not like the strong person he is known to be to be. The friendship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh is then tested and Enkidu lifts his spirits and encourages him. As they faced Humbaba, he begged Gilgamesh not to kill him and begged, trying to get into Gilgamesh's head but that did not sit well with Enkidu as they had come to do one thing and that was to kill Humbaba and so they did. As Gilgamesh returns home, he returns as a hero and Ishtar throws herself at him claiming he should marry her but he sees through her motives, refuses to be one of her puppets just like every other man she has been with. Feeling that he would be of no use and would gain nothing from being with her, Ishtar feels rejected and threatened and plots to end Gilgamesh, and gains access to the Bull of Heaven and uses it to her advantage. He summons the Bull to attack Gilgamesh but his friendship with Enkidu is too strong and they bond as one, together they kill the Bull and cut off his heart and horns. After all the journeys Gilgamesh has undertaken with Enkidu by his side, he realizes that their friendship was actually like a quest too, as they discovered each other. Enkudu dreams of dying but Gilgamesh will live on, so he approaches him. for everyone, as the twelve days pass, his condition worsens and in the end he dies. Gilgamesh reflects on everything Enkidu taught him, it made an impact, and their friendship will be treasured forever. Enkidu aided Gilgamesh in his quest with himself, helping him find his inner strength and strengthening him when he needed it. He desired to be a hero and Enkidu motivated him to do so. The one person who influenced him is now gone and he feels like all his searching is meaningless and useless since the one person who was right next to him while he did it is gone forever . His last words to Gilgamesh were: “I do not die like those who fall in battle. I feared the battle, but dying in bed is worse. My friend, whoever falls in combat makes a name for himself, I die of shame." After the death of his best friend, Gilgamesh sets out in search of eternal life and to do so he must cross the waters. Meet Utanapishtim who survived a flood and the significance of this flood is that it can be compared to Noah's Arks in the Bible. Utanapishtim tells him that he has been granted eternal life and that is all Gilgamesh wants. He tries to achieve immortality by going nights without sleep but fails and this is one of the obvious failures. He desires immortality to the point that he would do anything to please the gods, but once he fails to do so, he feels weak. This shows aspects of the physical part in the story, Gilgamesh is only human and just like everyone else, and is not a superhuman although he is seen as such. Gilgamesh is formed by society, everyone shapes him into what he is and what he should be, he is seen as a hero and a king and therefore this is how he should act at all times, a picture of him has been painted and should keep it. Throughout his life there were influences, people making decisions and choices for him, him following norms and rules to please everyone else. The way yes.