Arrogance and Immaturity

Blog 2 January 31, 2011

The obvious characteristic of Gilgamesh is his arrogance and conceit. He uses his power to his benefit and to show his strength and make a display of his abilities. For example the contests he holds against other men in the city to show who is stronger and how he “lets no girl go free to her bridegroom”. (4) This attitude of how he thinks he can do anything and get away with it or defeat it is what drives him to want to go and kill Humbaba.

After Gilgamesh and Enkidu make amends on what it seems to be an impulse he announces to Enkidu that he wants to defeat Humbaba. There seems to be a bit of an obsession of wanting to prove that he is the mightiest, the best, etc at whatever task he brings upon himself. Now without any other reason Gilgamesh wants to “conquer him in the Forest of Cedar: let the land learn Uruk’s offshoot is mighty!” and “cut down the cedar, I will establish for ever a name eternal!” (20) He tries to live and be like a god. He is 2/3 gods and 1/3 human but thinks he is will somehow be exempt from death. He even expresses to Enkidu that he thinks he can live on, “As for man, [his days] are numbered, whatever he may do, it is but wind, … exists not for me……”. (19) It is not just his arrogance but his immaturity makes him believe that he can really conquer and withstand anything including the Humbaba.

Despite the concerns of the elders and Enkidu, Gilgamesh still persists on going to the Humbaba. As an elders advised him, “Your are young Gilgamesh, borne along by emotion, all that you talk of you don’t understand.”. (22) Here it shows the immaturity of Gilgamesh. He admits himself that on a task that he has know idea about but will still go through with it seeing it as a challenge. Also that fact that he thinks he is just as strong as a god and has the immortality of a god he truly believes he can kill the Humbaba. Gilgamesh’s conceit and immaturity are what drive him to do the challenges he sets for himself and are what I assumes will lead him to trouble and a harder and longer journey than he bargained for. As a king, he is not carrying out his duties, he focuses more on proving himself and attaining something only a true god could have.