The End: Gilgamesh Dead?

on the last tabletWhat is the netherworld? Gilgamesh asks Enkidu. The last tablet of the book is really weird. It seems that Gilgamesh dies. He is living with the gods and Enkidu on heaven. Accidentally he through a drum stick to the netherworld and Enkidu decides to go for it. Although he gets trapped. Gilgamesh, through the help of the gods frees his companion of the house of the dead. If Enkidu reapers this means that Gilgamesh dies. Both are dead. Which is actually an exelent ending for the book. On this chapter one of the questions of the course is answered, according to the epic. Where are we going? He spoke of all the spirits living in the netherworld, all humans. If we would die in the story we would go to the house of the dead, the netherworld.

Inmortality?

Tablets 8 and 9Immortality, the goal humans, have always wanted to achieve. In Greece, the citizens wanted to become gods, to be immortal; in the colonization, the Spaniards went crazy trying to find the fountain of life, which was an indigenous legend. The alquimists speak of sorcerer’s stone. As well as humans, Gilgamesh realizes he is vulnerable (I was wrong on the blog before, Enkidus death changes Gilgamesh by reminding him that he may die, as well as his companion) he will travel the wilderness to find an answer, for his question. May death be avoided?From now on the real message of the story will start to enfold. (I was wrong on the blog before, I said that Enkidu´s death was the climax of the story, it is actually a rising action. Which was the starting point of the second and most important pat of Gilgamesh) “Enkidu has died. Must I die too? Must Gilgamesh be like that? Gilgamesh fealt the fear in his belly. He said to himself that he would seek the son of Ubartutu, Utnapishtin, he, the only one of men by means of whom he might finding out how death could be avoided.” (Gilgamesh, page 42)Will humans finally find immortality? Well I guess that they have already found it. The immortals are the geniuses that worked for a better future, that even after being dead are always present in conferences, schools, and minds. The Colombian presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan, assassinated by the mafia in 1989 is one of these immortals for me. Every time I think of a special person, I think of him. Or in a more general look Dr King, he is always being remembered for his fight against racism, he is a hero for many. I hope that every generation, more of this people are created, and at least one is not killed. He can make a big change.

Why Death?

Tablets 6 and 7
The Bull of Heaven, the second victim of the infinite power of the strongest, greatest and tallest living creature. Enkidu and Gilgamesh once again, fought together and killed their second enemy. Ishtar, a goddess falls in love with main character. She invited him to live with her, and become totally a god, an immortal. Although the greatest of all, rejects her and tells about her foulness. She was enraged, “Ishtar was enraged and went to the gods in heaven, to Anu her father and to her mother Antum. “The king of Uruk has insulted me. He has found out and told about my foulness.… give me the bull of heaven that I may punish Gilgamesh the king, who has found out and told about the foulness of the goddess” (Gilgamesh, page 32) And so it was. When Ishtar came back to the heaven and told all the gods about the killing of the Bull. They decided to punish Enkidu with a fatal sickness, which later he dies of.Gilgamesh suffers greatly the death. What does the death represent for the epic and Gilgamesh? I believe this was the climax and from now on, the falling action will take place. The book is starting to end. (It’s curious that the story starts the falling action on page30)I believe that the death of the companion is a message for the greatest of all; he is being reminded that he is still a human, gods have the ultimate power. He may not challenge this, they may kill him. But as well it’s an advice for stopping hid dangerous journeys, and return things how they were before. He is protected by the walls. I hope the death will have a big effect in the remaining of the book; therefore it will make the falling action more interesting.

The Fear to the Unknown

Tablets 4 and 5
The unknown, a topic in which humans are unable clarify. The fear to the unknown is the biggest barrier humanity may have. Fear is a human quality. Gilgamesh the main character, which is two thirds god and one third human, as well experience this feeling. “This was the place Huwawa was; huwawa´s breath is death. Beautiful is the forest; green upon green the cedars; fragrant the air with the fragrance of cedar trees; the box that grew along the silent walks of the guardian demon, shadowed and still, utterly still, was fragrant. Then Gilgamesh was afraid, and Enkidu was afraid, and they entered into the forest, afraid.” (Gilgamesh, page 25, 26)I interpret the fear of Gilgamesh, as one to the unknown. What percentage of life is unknown? Philosophers, psychiatrists and religions have tried to answer, although none of them have created a believable answer. Are all humans scared of the unknown? Well at least Enkidu and Gilgamesh were. Gilgamesh was raised inside the great walls of Uruk. Coming outside, were he wasn’t protected, was challenging and scaring. He dint know, how it was out there. The god/human became vulnerable.I believe one hundred percent of the life is unknown. We think we know something; But it’s wrong. If it would be correct humanity wouldn’t be destroying itself and the world as it is. Every human being is fearful to the unknown, humans have a habit of believing they know everything, when control leaves there hands they simply panic.

Enkidu’s?

(Blog on tablets 1,2 and 3)Toda very few “uncivilized” communities live. Communities that are alienated from the society; just as Enkidu. “Shamhat took of her rope and divided it so that the wild man also could be clothed. When this was done and both of them were clothed, she took him by the hand as a goddess might, leading a worshiper into the temple precinct; as if he was a child she held his hand. And they began their journey. They came to the camp where shepherds lived, who gathered about and wondered at the huge size and strength of Enkidu, the hairy-bodied wild man of the grasslands. They said t o each other “he is like Gilgamesh, twice the size of an ordinary man. Stronger and taller than a battlement, he is like a star that has fallen from the heavens. They cooked and set it before him; they brought out beer that had browed and set it down. But Enkidu knew nothing about these things, so he sat and started at the cooked food and the beer for a very long time, not knowing what to do. The Shamhat, the harlot, the temple prostitute, said: Enkidu, this is the food and drink man eat and drink. Eat and drink your fill. So Enkidu ate his fill cooked food and drank the beer. Seven jugs of beer. Then he washed his hairy body, anointed himself with oil, and dressed his body in new cloths, so hat he looked as beautiful as a bridegroom.” (Gilgamesh page12-13)The past description of the adaptation of a “wild man” into a normal society may be as today it is for indigenous communities. Is the adaptation harsh for the one being adopted? In Colombia violence has abruptly created lots of these cases in the last decades. As result, a lot of knowledge is being lost; probably the most important on medicine, philosophy and even on how we ought to live. Culture is being lost; our history is being lost the basis of our civilization is being extinguished by ourselves. Sadly today special communities are being forced to become part of the society. Violence, technology and the simple argument of being unable to survive without living in our society is cause for this adaptation.

Using Commas: Exercise # 3

Using Commas: Exercise 3
Choose the correctly punctuated versions of the phrases or clauses from the drop down lists in order to complete the sentences below.

1. The problems involved in this operation are, I think,numerous.
2. Celene who does not usually tell anyone what she feels, said she didn't want to go to the dance. 3. To get tickets for some Broadway musicals,one has to order three months in advance.
4.Listening to the radio, Jun heard an announcement that Spangler, his own dog was lost.
5. I used to live at 16689 Sutton Avenue, Milpitas, California but we have since moved to 1895 Holland Way, Dubuque, Iowa.
6. The Valley of the Moon, the name of a section in Napa County California is the heart of the state's wine producing area.
7. Chris did not see how he could organize, write and proofread this paper in only two hours.
8. By the pilings of the old pier, four starfish, a clam, and a sea anemone.
9. Yes, Helen did mention that all three of you were coming for lunch.
10. I believe, therefore that fraternities are good influences on a college campus.

Using Commas: Exercise # 2

Using Commas: Exercise 2
Choose the correctly punctuated versions of the phrases or clauses from the drop down lists in order to complete the sentences below.

1. There was no question that John's painting, a huge, colorful, and ugly mural, was the worst entry in the art exhibit.
2. Werner von Braun, Willy Ley, and Edward Teller, noted authorities in the field of rocket development, have done much to guide the missile program of the United States.
3. Mr. Cready's ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time is, I believe, amazing.
4. Running around the house, the dog was abruptly stopped by a fence.
5. If the opposition should win, our candidate would never have any political future.
6. Gracefully, lightly, and daintily the ballerina moved across the stage.
7. Glamour , the woman's fashion magazine, recently incorporated with Charm another fashion journal.
8. Joe was born on May 7, 1955, and his best friend was born exactly two months later on July 7, 1955.
9. Mr. and Mrs. Kwon , my parents' best friends, sat in front of us at the football game.
10.November 11, 1918, the armistice ending World War I was signed.