The Inevitability of Death as Shown by Early Literature Since the beginning of written literature, death and the avoidance of it has been a prevalent theme. Furthermore, outside of literature, humans as a species have an instinctive fear of death and the unknown that lies beyond it. This theme has survived time and crossed continents to influence readers from ancient Mesopotamia to the modern United States. Mesopotamia's Epic of Gilgamesh, the Bhagavad-Gita of fourth-century India, and one of the most prolific Arabic texts, The Arabian Nights, all contain excellent examples of characters attempting to avoid "the fate of mankind" ( The Norton Anthology 76). In their own way, the characters in each of these texts avoid death at all costs, only to arrive at the same truth: death is inevitable. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the oldest texts known to man, the Epic of Gilgamesh, tells the story of an all-powerful man who cowers at the thought of death after the death of his friend. After living his life in luxury, he realizes that one day everything will be taken away from him and, with all his muscles, he has no power to change the situation. His battle with death begins the day Enkidu dies; Gilgamesh feels that "after his death [he] could not find life" (76); and so begins his obsession. Once death reaches Enkidu, Gilgamesh begins his encounter with denial. His denial intensifies when, even six days after Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh “would not give him up for burial until a worm came out of his nose” (76). Gilgamesh refuses to accept that death is inevitable and that Enkidu's doom has overtaken him. However, the six days and seven nights in which Gilgamesh cries next to the body, rather than instilling in him the certainty and permanence of death, fuel in him the desire to avoid it. His futile attempts to defy fate take him to the ends of the earth where he believes he has found his answer from the only man who has earned the unattainable gift of eternal life: Utanapishtim. The great flood survivor reluctantly gives Gilgamesh what he has been looking for, a plant that grants eternal life. This success is short-lived, as a snake steals her plant for itself. The serpent, usually meaning the devil, represents destiny that comes to ensure that Gilgamesh does not escape death. This loss, along with Ur-shanabi's advice, gave Gilgamesh the knowledge and ability to live a full and happy life, instead of fearing the inevitable. Gilgamesh, however, is not the only character in this story guilty of trying to escape death. Enkidu, at the beginning of his life, was the guardian of the steppe, feared by those who saw him for his size and strength. It seemed to be some kind of monstrous animal covered in fur and that blended in with the beasts. When he chose to leave the steppe, he left behind his animalistic self to pursue a life as a civilized man. Faced with the idea of ​​Humbabba, Enkidu is eager to kill him. There are some correlations between Humbabba and the Enkidu of the steppe, such as their monstrous appearance, powerful and large demeanor, and their role in their environment: guardians and protectors. Seeing so much of himself in Humbabba, Enkidu is eager to pursue the beast and slay it along with his friend Gilgamesh. When the time comes, it is Enkidu who gives the command to “strike him again” to Gilgamesh (61). It seems appropriate that the man who taught him the ways of his new life symbolically kills the old Enkidu. Once Enkidu isfreed from who he was, he assumes he is free to live his life as he chooses; however, by killing Humbabba, he condemned himself to death in the eyes of the gods. In an attempt to free himself from his past, Enkidu discovered that death cannot be toyed with and that, ultimately, his death was his own choice. Much like the characters in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Arjuna, the focus of the Bhagavad-Gita, attempts to ignore his dharma in a futile attempt to preserve life. His morality prevents him from being the great warrior he was created to be; for him, the massacre of his family and loved ones would be a greater harm to his dharma than refusing to fight. This belief is so strong in him that he states that "[if] the sons of Dhritarashtra, / armed as they are, were to slay him / without weapons and without resistance, / [he] would know greater happiness" (732). His dispute with death is not selfish, but altruistic; in this way his suicidal thoughts separate him from Gilgamesh and Enkidu. In his confusion, he turns to the Blessed Lord Krishna for guidance. Since Arjuna's dharma is to be a warrior and fight, Krishna eases his worries about the sinful acts he has to commit. Krishna reminds Arjuna of the fundamental principles of his beliefs: “[man] can neither kill nor be killed. / He is not born, nor is he ever mortal, / and having been, he will not pass from existence; /ancient, unborn, eternally existing, /does not die when the body perishes” (733). Because of this advice, Arjuna stands out from all other characters who face the inevitability of death; he doesn't have to worry about the consequences of his actions because his religion doesn't accept the concept of death. No matter how many family members or loved ones he kills, in his mind and religion they will not die, but rather be reincarnated. Instead of fighting the pain of death, he chooses not to believe in it; this reaction, although based in religion, is nothing more than a coping mechanism like the denial Gilgamesh suffered. Despite the differences in their situations, both of these characters struggle with the futility of avoiding death and deal with it in their own ways. The Arabian Nights offers the reader an even different approach to the theme of inevitable death. Shahrazad is not the typical woman of early literature; she is educated, cultured and incredibly intelligent. All these attributes break the female stereotypes of the time and even modern stereotypes. She, above all, is just as much of a warrior as the characters previously discussed. Instead of cowering in fear because the king might decide to marry and kill her, she offers herself to him with courage and, above all, with a plan. This plan does what neither Gilgamesh, Enkidu, nor Arjuna could do: it cheats death. Of course death will call her somewhere along the way, but she earns a long life and spares the lives of others by intellectually defeating the death-hungry king. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay From these ancient stories, we can say that at least since the beginning of Mesopotamian culture, people have been fascinated by the idea of ​​death and eternal life. Looking at the media, literature, and many other sources, it is clear that this idea has continued to ring true in today's society. From people cryogenically freezing their bodies and hoping to be resurrected, to the millions of dollars spent researching the effects of telomeres on life longevity, to characters in books like the Twilight series living forever, the idea of ​​eternal life It permeates through all aspects of human culture. Many people would be lying if they said dying scared them or that they hadn't thought about how,” (76).