Hamlet-Tragic Man

Hamlet-Tragic Man

1) A Belief in His Own Freedom
Hamlet believes that any choices he makes in his life will lead him to whatever end. He is willing to accept this. He doesn’t believe that his fate is predetermined. An example of this would be how Hamlet is so set on avenging his father’s death that he is willing to do almost anything. He sends two innocent people, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to their death in his place in order to return to Elsinore and get his revenge on Claudius. That is a pretty drastic thing to do, but he is willing to accept the consequences of his actions for it or he wouldn’t have done it.
2) Supreme Pride (Hubris)
After Hamlet learns that Claudius killed his father, it’s like he knows this thing about Claudius that no one else (besides those he told) knows about. He now feels above people because he holds this secret knowledge. Most of all, he feels above Claudius because he knows what awful sin he committed, and he is confident that Claudius will pay for it in the end. Hamlet is also royalty, and therefore, it is natural that an extreme pride come with that territory; being above most people in rank and social status.
3) Capacity For Suffering
Hamlet suffers greatly when his father dies. He suffers when his mother hastily remarries his uncle. He suffers the most upon learning of his uncle/step-father Claudius’ sin in killing his own brother to gain political power. Hamlet later suffers for his love, Ophelia’s death. Hamlet really has a large capacity for suffering because the entire story is one sad thing after another taking place. That is why it is called a tragedy.
4) A Sense of Commitment
Hamlet is extremely committed to avenging his father’s death. That is what Hamlet is trying to accomplish from the beginning of the story, when he first learns the truth about his father’s death, all the way to the end when he finally does kill Claudius by stabbing him with a poisoned sword and then making him drink poisoned wine. There is only a short period of time where Hamlet is distracted from his vengeful manner in the middle of the story, but is reminded of its urgency and importance again and follows through with his want for revenge.
5) Vigorous Protest
Hamlet refuses/protests going to England to be killed, so he sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in his stead. Hamlet is determined to carry out his father’s wishes. Hamlet also dislikes his mother marrying Claudius so fast after his father’s death, but he doesn’t really “protest” so much as he greatly frowns upon it, and then hates Claudius after learning the truth about him.
6) Transfiguration
Hamlet becomes a little obsessed over avenging his father’s death throughout the entire play. As he becomes more and more suspicious of characters in association with Claudius and on eavesdroppers such as Polonius, he begins to act a little strangely, and because of his obsessive behavior and /or paranoia, ends up killing five people by the end of the play. He does succeed in avenging his father’s death before he dies. Hamlet dies knowing that he killed Claudius which was his main concern.
7) Impact
The impact of Hamlet’s strange behavior and paranoia is large on those around him. Five people die by his hand. The impact on Hamlet’s father is that his death has been avenged. The impact on the audience or reader of the play is that so much suffering and determination for revenge can drive a person to such extremes as taking the lives of innocent people and/or hurting the ones you love like Hamlet did by pretending he was mad.

Beowulf-The Cycle of the Hero

Beowulf-The Cycle of the Hero

Call to Adventure: The call to adventure begins when Beowulf first hears that the Danish kingdom is being terrorized by the demon/monster Grendel. He decides to go and kill the monster to help the Danes and relieve them of their suffering.
Helper: The Geat warriors (Wiglaf)
Threshold of Adventure: The threshold of adventure takes place when Beowulf and Grendel fight against each other. Beowulf does win, however, and Grendel loses his arm which leads him to his death.
Tests: After Grendel is out of the way, Grendel’s mother is left, and she is extremely vengeful for her son’s death. She goes to Herot and kills Hrothgar’s right hand man. When this is found out by the kingdom, Beowulf again feels the need to overcome this test/challenge of taking on Grendel’s mother. This is a test of Beowulf’s strength and bravery because he doesn’t know if he will come out of it alive.
Helpers: The “mighty sword” that helps Beowulf kill Grendel’s mother.
Triumph: Beowulf successfully kills Grendel’s mother and returns to Herot alive.
Flight: Beowulf returns to Geatland with many treasures for his king and queen and for himself that he received from the Danes.
Threshold Struggle: After becoming king of the Geats and many years of prosperity have passed, a dragon guarding treasure is angered by a thief and brings despair and havoc to the Geats. Beowulf commits one last heroic act by killing the dragon to save his people’s lives before he himself dies.
Elixir: Beowulf is buried with a lot of treasure, and also, another large portion of the treasure goes to his people.

Hamlet-A Modern Perspective

Hamlet is one of the most famous theatrical plays ever written. However, Hamlet was originally written by a man named Thomas Kyd. Shakespeare rewrote Hamlet and kept the same plotline as Kyd, but polished it and added so much more substance to the story to make it his own.
Hamlet’s soliloquies provide his personal thoughts and plans of action; this creates a whole other play/perspective within the play. You see the play with all the characters, and then with Hamlet’s soliloquies, you see another play; one where you learn Hamlet’s thoughts, feelings; his side or reaction to whatever is happening in the story. The famous line, “to be or not to be,” greatly ties in with what his view is on life. In Hamlet, you notice that it seems as though everyone is always watching everyone else. Someone is always looking for someone, spying on someone, watching out for someone…etc. It is a reaccuring theme throughout the play. After Hamlet discovers the truth about how his father died, there is a sort of silent battle throughout the rest of the play until Hamlet finally kills Claudius. It is a secret, and in order to not hurt anyone else (particularly his mother, Gertrude) Hamlet has to keep his newfound knowledge secret; which is ironic because all of the secrecy and the pretended “madness” and the spying is exactly what harms and kills people in the end. That is another ongoing theme in Hamlet: speaking the unspeakable. The soliloquy also serves as a way that Hamlet can speak and talk himself through all the secrets and things that are happening in the story. However, he still isn’t speaking any of it to another person; so it is just his thoughts coming out loud, but besides the fact that he is speaking the thoughts, this is really no different than merely thinking them because no one can hear him either way. So this is frustrating for Hamlet; only being able to share his innermost thoughts with himself. Some things he does share with Horatio, but his most sensitive side and thoughts he merely keeps to himself. In the end of the story, Hamlet dies feeling that he still has a story that needs to be told. Although Horatio agrees to tell Hamlet’s story, it won’t be Hamlet telling it. Horatio, although knowing the general idea of everything that went on in this epic and tragic tale, does not know the in depth version, the specifics and particulars that Hamlet knew. Those things will never be passed on, and that leaves the story with a sense of incompletedness.

Hamlet-Act 5

Act 5

Hamlet and Horatio spy on a gravedigger preparing a burial ground for Ophelia. Hamlet picks up a skull and in this moment realizes that all men turn to dust. (The skull was said to be that of his father’s old jester whom Hamlet had known as a boy.) Hamlet and Horatio hide nearby as the funeral procession approaches the grave site. Hamlet recognizes that this is Ophelia’s funeral. Laertes, angry at the priest, (who says the funeral shouldn’t be done on account that Ophelia committed suicide) jumps into the grave with Ophelia to hold her in his arms. Hamlet then appears at the scene to confess his love for Ophelia. The two get into a tiff and are pulled apart. The king and queen declare Hamlet mad and Hamlet runs off, Horatio following. Claudius reminds Laertes of their “plan” for revenge to calm Laertes down.
Hamlet tells Horatio how he replaced the letter that was being sent to England to have he (Hamlet) executed with a new letter to have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern executed instead. Hamlet doesn’t really feel bad about this because the two of them merely catered to Claudius. Hamlet does feel bad, however, about his behavior toward Laertes. Laertes desires to avenge his father’s death, which is exactly what Hamlet aspires to do. Hamlet wants to be on good terms with Laertes. Osric (a courtier) comes to summon Hamlet to a fencing match against Laertes. Hamlet agrees to fight, although Horatio advises him not to. Hamlet seeks Laertes’ forgiveness, but Laertes will only accept Hamlet’s offer of love in the meantime. The two begin the fencing match. Hamlet strikes Laertes. Again, he hits Laertes. Gertrude raises a cup to Hamlet and drinks from it although Claudius warns her not to. It was the poisoned cup of wine meant for Hamlet. Laertes then strikes and hits Hamlet with the poisoned sword. The two get a hold of each others’ swords, and Hamlet strikes Laertes again, this time with the poisoned sword. The queen realizes she’s been poisoned and dies. Laertes, upon dying, says the king is to blame for the poisoned sword and for the poisoned wine. Hamlet, enraged, stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword and makes him drink the poisoned wine. Claudius dies. Hamlet is dying and asks Laertes again or for forgiveness. Laertes forgives him, and then dies. Hamlet, dying, tells Horatio to live on and tell his story. He also asks that Fortinbras be made king of Denmark. Hamlet then dies. Fortinbras enters this sad scene, and Horatio says that he will explain all that has happened. Fortinbras has Hamlet taken away honorably, like a soldier.

Hamlet-Act 4

Act 4

Gertrude runs to Claudius and tells him that Hamlet is indeed mad and has killed Polonius. Claudius says that Hamlet must be shipped off to England immediately, and he (Claudius) must find a reason to explain to the court what has happened to Polonius. Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find Hamlet and take him away.
Hamlet has disposed of Polonius’ body. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear and want to know what Hamlet has done with the body, but he will not tell them. Hamlet accuses them of being spies for Claudius, but finally he lets them escort him to the king.
Hamlet is brought to Claudius and again refuses to say where Polonius’ body is. He finally tells them that the body is under the stairs in the “lobby” of the palace. The king tells Hamlet that he must leave for England at once, and Hamlet agrees to this. Claudius has Rosencrantz and Guildenstern take Hamlet to the ship and with them gives special orders for England to put Hamlet to death upon arrival.
On the way to the ship, Hamlet encounters Fortinbras who is going to fight a war for land with a good name. Hamlet is reminded of his own personal mission to avenge his father’s death, and says that his thoughts from now on will be “bloody” and violent.
Horatio and Gertrude speak about Ophelia and how she has apparently gone mad due to her father’s death. Laertes has come back from France. Laertes is raging about avenging his father’s death. Claudius “nudges” Laertes in the direction of Hamlet in a violent way so that Laertes will be seeking revenge on Hamlet.
Horatio receives a letter from a sailor from Hamlet relating that Hamlet was captured by pirates who have returned him to Denmark. Horatio takes the sailors to the king because they have messages for him from Hamlet. Hamlet has returned, and Horatio leaves to find him near the palace.
Claudius and Laertes discuss Hamlet and why Claudius did not punish him publicly so as to not upset those that love Hamlet very much, like Gertrude. Laertes is glad to know that Hamlet has returned so that his revenge may take place very soon. Claudius encourages Laertes’ want for revenge because he believes Hamlet to be a threat to his kingship, his rule. (This is because he knows that Hamlet knows something about his murdering his brother, Hamlet’s father).
Claudius begins to create a plan in which Hamlet will be sure to die. Laertes and Hamlet will fence, and Laertes will have a poisoned sword. If he does not win against Hamlet, another option (plan B) will fall into place in which Hamlet shall be offered poisoned wine. Gertrude enters to say that Ophelia has drowned herself in the river due to her extreme grief and madness.

Hamlet-Act 3

Act 3

Claudius and Gertrude talk to Hamlet’s two friends who claim that they know not the cause of his recent behavior. They relate Hamlet’s enthusiasm towards the actors, and Claudius and Gertrude agree to see the play the actors are going to put on. Claudius and Polonius position Ophelia where they want her to be upon meeting with Hamlet so they can secretly watch the encounter. Hamlet comes in the room, talking to himself and using the famous line “to be or not to be: that is the question.” He is speaking about how sorrowful people are in life, but that they also fear what is after life. Ophelia approaches him and does as her father told her to do; return any tokens of affection that he has given her. This angers Hamlet and he denies ever having given her anything. He tells Ophelia to become a nun. He claims that women bring out the worst in men, and he wishes an end to all marriages. Ophelia is very disheartened by this speech. Claudius says that Hamlet’s madness is obviously not derived from love for Ophelia but in something possibly dangerous that he fears will be very bad once it erupts from within Hamlet. He decides it would be best for Hamlet if he sends him to England, away from Elsinore, to possibly distract him or be rid of his “mad” state of mind. Polonius, however, is still convinced Hamlet’s madness comes out of love for Ophelia and wants to set up a meeting between Queen Gertrude and Hamlet on which he can hide away again and spy to know for sure about Hamlet’s apparent madness. Claudius agrees to this.
The actors prepare to put on the play, and Hamlet speaks to Horatio about Claudius. Since Hamlet had told Horatio about the ghost and Claudius murdering his father (King Hamlet) he asks Horatio to watch Claudius’ expression during the play to detect any signs of guilt. Hamlet warns Horatio that he may begin to act “mad” once the performance begins, and sure enough, he does. He acts strangely/insanely toward Claudius and rude and harsh toward Ophelia whom he is sitting by. The actors act out the “dumb show” or rather, the silent “summary” of what the play will be about. The actors perform almost exactly what happened concerning Claudius and his brother; how Claudius poisoned his brother and seduced Gertrude. Claudius gets deeply uncomfortable with the play and walks out. (This displays his evident guilt in the matter.) Everyone then leaves the performance. Hamlet’s mother calls him to speak with her. Hamlet says he will go in a moment. He resolves to be stern with her, but not harm her in any way.
Claudius speaks to Hamlet’s school friends and asks them to escort him to England on account that his behavior may be dangerous. Polonius reminds Claudius of the plan to spy on Queen Gertrude whilst she speaks to Hamlet, and he says he will tell Claudius everything that he finds out. Claudius, alone, tries to pray under the extreme gilt he feels for having murdered his own brother. Hamlet enters, intent on killing Claudius, only, he observes Claudius is in prayer and doesn’t want to send him to heaven on account that his father never got to repent before his death. So, he must kill Claudius when he is sinning. Hamlet leaves and Claudius gives up trying to pray.
When Hamlet goes to speak with Gertrude, he frightens her and by frightening her, also frightens Polonius who is hidden in the room, spying. Hamlet thinks that it is Claudius and stabs his dagger at the person. This kills Polonius. Hamlet then speaks “daggers” at his mother for being seduced by Claudius and marrying him so quickly and forgetting her late husband so fast. She begs him to stop; he is making her examine her soul, and she doesn’t like what she sees. The ghost appears to remind Hamlet that he is only supposed to seek revenge for his murder, nothing more. Gertrude cannot hear or see the ghost, and so she thinks that Hamlet’s madness is now confirmed to be real. Hamlet tries to convince his mother that his madness has only been an act, but to not tell Claudius of this. Gertrude agrees not to tell. Hamlet leaves the room, dragging Polonius’ body behind him.

Hamlet-Act 2

Act 2

Polonius sends one of his servants to France to casually spy on Laertes and make sure he is behaving himself there. Ophelia enters, extremely upset because Hamlet “grabbed” her, but said nothing to her. Polonius decides that this must be because Hamlet is driven mad with his love for Ophelia since she hasn’t been seeing him anymore as Polonius told her not to. Polonius goes to tell Claudius of this presumption.
Claudius and Gertrude invite Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two of Hamlet’s friends from school, to Elsinore to try and cheer Hamlet up and decrease his moodiness/madness. Claudius receives news that he has avoided war with Fortinbras who was convinced to wage war elsewhere. Polonius presents love notes to Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet had given to Ophelia. He believes that Ophelia is the cause of his madness. Polonius wants to set Ophelia and Hamlet up to meet and listen to their conversation secretly, hidden out of sight. From this, Polonius hopes to see if Ophelia is the cause of Hamlet’s “madness.” Gertrude and Claudius agree to try this plan. Polonius first wants to speak with Hamlet, though. When he speaks to Hamlet, Hamlet definitely appears and sounds insane, and Polonius leaves, now wanting to hurriedly arrange the meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet. Hamlet then speaks to his two school friends who he is happy to see, but suspicious of their true reasons for coming. He gets it out of them that they were sent by King Claudius to relieve him (Hamlet) from his saddened state. Hamlet admits that lately he has been in a state of indifference to everything and everyone. A group of actors walks toward Hamlet and his friends at Elsinore. Hamlet welcomes his friends to stay, but assures them that King Claudius and his mother are wrong about his “mad” condition. He claims to be mad only some of the time and completely sane the rest of the time. Polonius announces that the actors have arrived, and Hamlet asks one of them to give a speech. He is so taken with the speech that he asks the actors to perform a play the next day: The Murder of Gonzago. This play closely resembles how Claudius murdered his brother, and Hamlet resolves that he will find out if Claudius is guilty of the murder of his brother (Hamlet’s father) by his expression throughout the play the actors put on. Hamlet thinks he will be able to depict any sign of guilt in Claudius’ face if he is truly guilty.

Hamlet-Act 1

Act 1

Francisco and Barnardo are standing guard outside the palace. Francisco goes to bed, Barnardo continues to stand guard. Marcellus and Horatio join him, and suddenly the ghost of the late King Hamlet appears then disappears. The ghost has apparently appeared two nights previously. Horatio explains to Marcellus why the security has been so tight in Denmark lately: King Hamlet of Denmark battled with King Fortinbras of Norway. King Hamlet killed King Fortinbras and got all of his land. However, Fortinbras, the late King Fortinbras’ son, has gotten together a force to try and get the land back. (It is later found out that they are stopped from doing this.) The ghost appears again, and then promptly leaves. The men decide to inform young Hamlet (the late King Hamlet’s son) of the appearance of the ghost and see if he will try to speak with it.
Claudius is married to Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. Claudius was brother to the late king Hamlet. Hamlet does not approve of their hasty marriage. Hamlet speaks to Barnardo, Marcellus, and Horatio about the ghost and agrees to try speaking to the ghost. The men go and await the ghost’s arrival. Hamlet suspects that if the ghost is dressed in armor, there must be something that is wrong.
Laertes warns Ophelia about Hamlet. He tells her to be careful with her emotions and not give herself to Hamlet for he does not believe Hamlet’s intentions toward her to be good/honest. Laertes leaves on a journey/trip. Polonious speaks to Ophelia as well about Hamlet and his “affections” toward her. He tells her to stay away from Hamlet. Ophelia agrees that she will do as he says.
Horatio, Marcellus, and Hamlet are all awaiting the ghost to appear. The ghost appears, and Hamlet asks the ghost what its purpose for showing itself is. The ghost wants Hamlet to follow him, but Horatio and Marcellus hold him back. Hamlet protests and is released, and the ghost and he walk away together. Horatio and Marcellus follow after them.
The ghost and Hamlet talk, and the ghost tells Hamlet his reason for appearing. He wants Hamlet to know that he was murdered by his brother, King Claudius, and he wants Hamlet to avenge his death. Hamlet promises to do this. When he meets up again with Horatio and Marcellus, he tells them what happened, and then makes them swear not to tell anyone about it. They swear they won’t. They all return to the palace.

Machiavellianism

Look up the term and discuss how it relates to the play.

Machiavellianism is when a person does something, perhaps immoral, to achieve or to retain political power. In Hamlet, Claudius is guilty of machiavellianism. He kills his own brother in order to take his place as king. Claudius also seduces his brother's wife and marries her. These are immoral acts that Claudius committed to gain political power.

"to be or not to be"

Hamlet's soliloquies comprise an important portion of the reading. Discuss why they are important and what function they serve, based on your readings so far. Also, identify and discuss themes that were presented that do not appear on your pretest focus.

Hamlet's soliloquies are important because they provide insight into Hamlet's innermost thoughts and feelings about life, love, revenge, murder...etc. It's only during these speeches that we hear about any of those subjects because everything is very hush hush in Hamlet. The soliloquies enable Hamlet to speak freely, as opposed to when he is in the company of other characters and must keep secret his thoughts. The soliloquies tie in to a big theme that is used throughout the entire play: the theme of speaking the unspeakable. Hamlet never confronts Claudius to ask or accuse him (Claudius) of killing his father. Hamlet uses the players to act out the play that symbolizes Claudius murdering his (Hamlet's) father. This still isnt a direct use of words, though. It's after that performance that Claudius is suspicious that Hamlet knows of his big sin, but still, there is no exchange of words that express this suspicion. Things are kept very secret, very hush in Hamlet.

Beowulf-Key Facts, Symbols and Motifs

Key Facts, Symbols and Motifs

Setting: Denmark and Geatland
Motifs: Monsters; mead-hall (Herot)
Symbols: the golden torque (golden cup), feasts/banquets (bring Grendel to Herot)

Themes:

• establishing identity (what is its importance?)
• the difference between a good warrior and a good king
  

Beowulf-Principal Characters

Principal Characters

• Beowulf-Geatish hero, kills Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon; main character of the book
• Grendel-demon/monster that terrorizes Hrothgar's kingdom for many years; killed by Beowulf
• Hrothgar-king of the Danes, awards Beowulf with treasure, has lost many people to Grendel and has suffered from this
• Unferth-Danish Warrior, jealous of Beowulf, but later realizes that he is inferior to Beowulf
  
• Wiglaf-helps Beowulf fight the dragon, very loyal to Beowulf; proves himself to be worhty of taking Beowulf's place as king
• Welthow-Hrothgar's queen; she is wise
• Grendel's mother-another demon/monster that resides in the swamplands; is also killed by Beowulf
  

Beowulf-Plot Overview

Plot Overview

Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, has ruled his kingdom well, and the kingdom has prospered. However, their celebrating and songs of success angers Grendel, a supposed demon and monster that dwells in the swamplands around the kingdom. Grendel kills and terrorizes the kingdom for years until Beowulf, a hero and leader of the Geats sails to Denmark to kill the monster Grendel and end Hrothgar's kingdom's suffering. Beowulf is accepted into Hrothgar's kingdom and a feast is held to celebrate. Unferth, a great warrior, is suspicious of Beowulf's greatness and claims that Beowulf's stories of his heroic acts are possibly false or over-exaggerated. Beowulf responds by boasting about the time he killed nine sea monsters while racing against Brecca for five days. There is cheering and celebrating in Herot that night until Grendel arrives, and Beowulf rips/cuts Grendel's arm off. Grendel dies, and the kingdom thinks they are safe again. However, Grendel's mother seeks revenge for her son's death. She goes to Herot and kills one of the king's right hand men. Beowulf goes to the swamp intent on killing Grendel's mother. He battles with her, and finds a mighty sword on one of the walls where she (Grendel's mother) dwells. With this mighty sword, Beowulf decapitates Grendel's mother's head. The suffering in the kingdom has subsided. Heaped with gifts of thanks, Beowulf and his band of Geats head back to Geatland where he presents his many gifts and treasures to his king, Hygelac. Through the years, Hygelac dies, then his son, and the crown goes to Beowulf. Beowulf rules the Geats, and they prosper. When Beowulf is an old man, a thief steals treasure from a cave where a dragon resides guarding the treasure. The dragon is mad about the treasure being stolen and burns and brings destruction to the Geats. Beowulf goes after the dragon, although old, and cuts the dragon in half. However, Beowulf is injured, and the dragon's venom begins to kill him. Beowulf's loyal friend, Wiglaf, tried to help Beowulf battle the dragon, although he couldn't do as much as Beowulf. Beowulf asks Wiglaf to gather treasure from the cave so that he may die with it. He also tells Wiglaf to bring gold and treasure to his people. Beowulf is cremated, then buried with treasure.

Themes in Gilgamesh

The Hero’s Companion: Enkidu is Gilgamesh’s dearest companion, his equal, his soul-mate. “He turned to Enkidu who leaned against his shoulder and looked into his eyes and saw himself in the other, just as Enkidu saw himself in Gilgamesh. In the silence of the people they began to laugh and clutched each other in their breathless exaltation.” (pg. 24, Gilgamesh) They both do everything together as a team from the time they become friends up until Enkidu dies. Enkidu is very in tune with nature, more so than Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is more in tune with the ways of being courageous and powerful; the ways of society as well. In this way, the two balance each other out really well when they become a team. The purpose of a sidekick or a companion to the hero is to have that someone that will watch out for you and you to them. You take care of each other; you protect each other. One may be more experienced at one thing, the other at something else to form that balance that Enkidu and Gilgamesh share. In companionship, Enkidu and Gilgamesh become the best of friends, each other’s equal. Enkidu is a highly esteemed helper to Gilgamesh.
Love: Gilgamesh and Enkidu share a love in their friendship. They are so much like each other; they are “soul-mates.” The whole reason Gilgamesh goes looking for immortality is to bring Enkidu back to life because without him, Gilgamesh feels no further purpose in his life. He grieves for him all the time, and wants him to be alive again. This dedication to his friend shows his love for him. Also, the two always have each others’ back when they are fighting Humbaba, and also later when they are fighting against the Bull of Heaven. They look out for one another. “Don’t be afraid, said Gilgamesh. We are together. There is nothing we should fear.” (pg. 28, Gilgamesh)
Loss of Innocence: Enkidu loses his innocence and becomes a man after he sleeps with the prostitute. However, in becoming a man, Enkidu loses himself a little. His animal friends shame him, and he leaves the life he has always known to go to Uruk where he meets Gilgamesh and leads this new life up until he dies. When he is dying, he talks about how he used to know life in everything and how his life before the prostitute had been a simple, familiar, comfortable one. He feels he is dying in shame because he is now a man who sees death in things. “He became bitter in his tone again: because of her. She made me see things as a man, and a man sees death in things. That is what it is to be a man. You’ll know when you have lost the strength to see the way you once did.” (pg. 49, Gilgamesh) This is even a little parallel to Christian belief dealing with loss of innocence in that once you lose your innocence, a part of you is stripped away that you can never get back.
Intervention of the gods; gods relationship with mortals: The gods intervene two major times in Gilgamesh. Once when Ishtar and Anu send the Bull of Heaven down on Earth and after Gilgamesh, and another time when the gods send a great flood down on the mortals. Ishtar and Anu send down the Bull of Heaven because Ishtar wants man to suffer on account of Gilgamesh refusing her love. “But a little hunger will replace their arrogance with new desire. Then Anu acceded to her wish. The Bull of Heaven descended to the earth and killed at once three hundred men, and then attacked King Gilgamesh.” (pg. 45, Gilgamesh) The gods also send down the huge flood when men begin to search for immortality and defy their natural conditions. The gods send the flood to exterminate mankind and to show that only gods are to be immortal, not men. The flood is meant to put men in their place; to teach a lesson.
View of the afterlife; pessimistic and optimistic: In Gilgamesh, there are both pessimistic and optimistic views on immortality. Gilgamesh tends to take a more positive view on immortality. He thinks it would take care of any fears about death for him. He also thinks that if he can find out the secret of immortality, he can find a way to bring Enkidu back to life. So, Gilgamesh’s view on the afterlife is more that life shouldn’t end, at least not for himself and Enkidu. However, we also hear Utnapishtim’s view on the afterlife and immortality, and his view leans more towards pessimism. He never desired to be immortal like the gods, he was chosen to be immortal, and he doesn’t want to be. He is lonely, and he has suffered great losses. He even tells Gilgamesh that he envies him his freedom as a mortal man. “I think compassion is our God’s pure act which burns forever, and be it in Heaven or in Hell doesn’t matter for me; because Hell is the everlasting gift of His presence to the lonely heart who is longing amidst perishing phantoms and doesn’t care to find any immortality if not in the pure loneliness of the Holy One, this loneliness which he enjoys forever inside and outside of His creation. It is enough for one who loves to find his Only One singled in Himself. And that is the cup of immortality!” (pg. 74, 75, Gilgamesh)
The Common Flood Story: Utnapishtim’s story about the flood is very similar to and parallel to the story of Noah’s Arc. The gods decided to send a great flood down on men because men were searching to be like the gods; searching for immortality and defying their natural or human conditions. For this, the gods see it fit to remind men of their place on Earth, and that’s when they send the floods. Utnapishtim is warned about the flood by Ea, though, because he is a man not desiring immortality. Therefore, when the flood is over and Utnapishtim and his family survive the flood in a giant boat built by Utnapishtim for the duration of the flood, the gods “choose” him to be like the gods and make him immortal merely because he had no desire of it in the first place. “The war god touched my forehead; he blessed my family and said: before this you were just a man, but now you and your wife shall be like gods. You shall live in the distance at the rivers’ mouth, at the source. I allowed myself to be taken far way from all that I had seen. Sometimes even in love we yearn to leave mankind. Only the loneliness of the Only One who never acts like gods is bearable.” (pg. 79, Gilgamesh) It is after the flood that the gods decide to make Utnapishtim immortal because he survived the flood, and he does not desire immortality.
Legacy: Gilgamesh leaves behind his sorrows and returns to Uruk a new and wiser man than he was before. He looks at the walls his people have built around the city; their accomplishments. “He looked at the walls, awed at the heights his people achieved and for a moment-just a moment- all that lay behind him passed from view.” (pg. 92, Gilgamesh) This makes him look more towards the future rather than living in the past as he had been. The wall will serve as protection for his people. The wall was built during his life, and will be left behind after him to the kings that will rule after him.

Gilgamesh-Literary Archetypes

Literary Archetypes

Hero/Antihero: Gilgamesh suits both. He is viewed as a good king by his people or rather his people don’t seem to have a problem with him. He shows his power and strength by killing Humbaba. He also goes on a journey in search of the secret of immortality. Killing Humbaba and going on this journey are two main things that demonstrate Gilgamesh’s courage and also his determination. Howver, Gilgamesh can also be viewed as the antihero because of his loss of faith and hope in everything after Enkidu dies. After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh, although on a quest for immortality, does a lot of aimless wandering, sleeping, grieving, etc. The book says Gilgamesh wanders without a purpose; he is directionless. It isn’t until after his conversations and help from Utnapishtim that he undergoes a transformation that leaves him a more optimistic, changed man. This is what makes him an antihero as well as a hero.

The Wise Fool: The wise fool is Utnapishtim. He is a seemingly wise character in Gilgamesh, especially regarding his views on immortality. When Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh the story of the great flood and how he was chosen to be immortal, but did not desire it, this displays the passing down of knowledge from Utnapishtim to Gilgamesh. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that immortality or to be like the gods is not something to be desired. It is not, should not, be the place of men. Once you are immortal, there is also loneliness. Especially for Utnapishtim who lost all of his fellow people in the great flood.
The Devil Figure: Ishtar displays many “devilish” thought processes and actions in Gilgamesh. She is the one who wants to send the Bull of Heaven down to earth and kill three hundred men and kill Gilgamesh. She does this because Gilgamesh will not marry her. She is a very vengeful character, it seems. Also, she is an attributor to the great flood. She thinks it is a good idea to wipe out mankind; to put them in their proper place.
The Outcast: Enkidu is an alienated character both when he is living with the animals and when he becomes a “man;” a member of society. He is viewed as an outcast by the town of Uruk and by society when he is like an animal because he is a man who looks and acts as an animal would. He is stand-outish in that way. He also frees the hunter’s animals from the traps, and this makes the hunter want Enkidu to just become a man so that he will stop doing this. Thus the prostitute comes into play and makes Enkidu a supposed “man” by sleeping with him and taking his innocence. Now it’s the animals that view Enkidu as the outcast, the shameful one for sleeping with the prostitute and leaving behind a familiar and comfortable life to join in on the ways of society. So, really, the only place Enkidu ever fits in is with Gilgamesh, and that’s only for a short time.
The Double: I believe that although Ishtar is devilish, conniving, and vengeful, she also has a less dominant soft side in that she comes to realize the enormity of her impulsiveness, but only after she’s done something dreadfully wrong. An example would be when the great flood is sent down on mankind, she realizes that although men were in the wrong, to kill off all of mankind was a terribly rash and impulsive decision on her part. “Ishtar cried out like a woman at the height of labor: O how could I have wanted to do this to my people!” (pg. 78, Gilgamesh) This quote displays Ishtar’s softer side, which is definitely not a dominant characteristic of hers; at least not until she is seeing firsthand the effects of her actions.
The Scapegoat: Enkidu serves as the “sacrifice” or the scapegoat that appeases the gods. The gods say that either Gilgamesh or Enkidu must die on account that they killed both Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. The gods choose Enkidu to die. One reason they do this is because he is already wounded, weakened by Humbaba. Another reason is because Gilgamesh is two thirds god, and apparently that excuses him from any kind of “punishment” like what Enkidu ends up receiving. Enkidu knows that the gods are going to choose him to die, and he doesn’t fight this knowledge or protest against it in anyway, but merely accepts it. He quietly fades away, and as he is dying, he sorrowfully speaks about how his life was before the prostitute took away his innocence; how he knew life in everything at one point in time.
The Temptress: I think the temptress is immortality itself, especially in this story. Immortality is what men strive for, what they crave. Even today, there are those who desire immortal life whether it be because they fear death, or for another reason. Immortality just seems to be an appealing idea to some. In Gilgamesh, only the gods have immortality, and when men begin to defy mortality and go in search of immortality, the gods are not very happy. This would mean that men would be like the gods, and then nothing would set the two apart. The gods send a great flood to wipe out mankind and put men back in their rightful place; to teach them a lesson. So, in desiring immortality and pursuing it, men brought forth their own destruction.
The Good Mother: Although Ninsun is literally a mother and is also protective and worried over Gilgamesh, (and also Enkidu) she is a smaller part and does less physically for Gilgamesh in nurturing and such. The character who nurtures, gives guidance, and all together helps Gilgamesh is Siduri, the barmaid he meets on his way to Utnapishtim. She rubs his back, bathes him, clothes him, feeds him, and lets him sleep and grieve for Enkidu.

Gilgamesh-Book Four

Book 4

After a time, Gilgamesh returns to Uruk and wonders if anyone even knows or remembers Enkidu. He asks a passerby if he remembers anyone by the name of Enkidu, and the passerby only shrugs his shoulders. Gilgamesh looks to the walls of his city, at his people’s achievements, and for a moment, he forgets his past sorrows.

Gilgamesh-Book Three

Book Three
Gilgamesh is in extreme grief over the death of his dear friend, Enkidu. He felt he was "no longer a king, but a man who had lost his way." Gilgamesh goes a little crazy with grief and to find eternal life and bring Enkidu back to life become his life's mission. He goes to talk to Utnapishtim, who knows the secret to eternal life. Gilgamesh travels to the mountains of Mashu and encounters the Scorpion people who recognize Gilgamesh as being two thirds god. They think his quest is foolish, and that he will surely not survive this mission, but they let him pass into "the darkness" where they say he will find only grief. He enters the Road of the Sun, (which is kind of ironic because that realm is in complete darkness) and Gilgamesh stumbles his way onward in blindness, still grieving for Enkidu every moment along the way. He comes to a valley that is full of fruit and "precious stones." Gilgamesh shouts the story of Enkidu over the valley. Eventually, he reaches the sea and comes across a cottage where a barmaid named Siduri lives. she helps him, cleanses him, lets him sleep and rest and grieve. She eventually asks him to just stay with her and not continue on his journey. She thinks his quest to be foolish, a waste of time. He is greatly offended and angered by this, and this anger gives him energy enough to set out again to continue on with his journey to find Utnapishtim and the secret of immortality. She tells him he must cross the sea of death with the help of the boatman, Urshanabi. She angers Gilgamesh even more when she tells him he is blind with self-love. He replies that he is "blinded with loss, not self-love." On the way to the boatman, Gilgamesh is smashing things into pieces in all his anger and smashes the "stone images" that were going to help him corss the sea of death. urshanabi says that now he must build poles to push his way across the sea of death. Gilgamesh uses all his poles, but one (the poles are rotted by the sea) and with the last pole, he takes his clothes off and amkes a sail that sails him across the sea of death. He meets Utnapishtim. Uptnapishtim and Gilgamesh discuss immortality and how Uptnapishtim thinks it is to be achieved; however, Uptnapishtim does not thnk that nay man should desire everlasting life. Uptnapishtim is lonely, and full of sorrow. He tells how he came to immortality. He was chosen, he did not desire it as Gilgamesh does. He said that the gods decided to send a great flood down on the city, Shurrupak because men are defying mortality and beginning to search for immortality which is not the condition of men. Ea warns Utnapishtim of the flood and tells him to make a great ship and put all life possible in it. Utnapishtim does this and the animals, his family, and some of his people are safe during the flood. However, many others that are not in the great ship die, and Utnapishtim can hardly bear this. The flood lasts seven days. (This story is very similar to Noah's Arc) Enlil touches U's head and says that now he and his family will be like gods because they survived the great flood. However, Utnapishtim is still very upset at having seen so much death. He still suffers fthis grief as he continues to live on. (Utnapishtim says he envies Gilgamesh's freedom.) Gilgamesh again feels sleepy and sleeps seven days. Utnapishtim says that this is a slothlike man, a man living in death, not really living. He tells the boatman to burn the pelts of Gilgamesh so that he may begin to move on from his grief by letting it go and not hanging onto it. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a plant deep in the river that will help Gilgamesh lead a new life. Gilgamesh goes to the river and retrieves the plant and hugs Utnapishtim in thanks. He then crosses with urshanabi back over the sea of death. Gilgamesh is now alone again, but he does not feel very lonely anymore with the plant he has. He goes for a refreshing swim in a pool of water and leaves the plant unguarded. A serpent eats the plant and sheds its skin. Gilgamesh sees that the plant is gone and sees the snake skin. He cries.

Gilgamesh-Book Two

Book Two
Gilgamesh and Enkidu, now friends, decide to go kill Humbaba, guardian of the cedar forest. Actually, Gilgamesh is all for this idea, to prove that Humbaba isn't all that scary and powerful and to kill him. However, Enkidu is fearful of this idea. He knows the forest much better than Gilgamesh. The two go to Uruk's wise elders to ask what they should do. The elders decide that to kill Humbaba would be a mighty victory. NInsun "adopts" Enkidu and prays to Shamash (the sun god) to protect the two of them on their journey. The two travel to the cedar forest and enter it. They go to sleep, and Enkidu has frightful dreams that show that only one of them will survive this mission. The next day, Gilgamesh hits a tree with his axe to summon/irritate Humbaba. The two are very scared. Humbaba appears and hits Enkidu to the ground and wounds him. After this, Humbaba falls to the ground, and quickly, Gilgamesh strikes his axe down on Humbaba's neck. Humbaba is dead, but now Enkidu is wounded., The next morning, Ishtar, goddess of love, fruitfulness, and war, visits Gilgamesh and Enkidu. She tries to get Gilgamesh to marry her, but he will not due to the way she has treated her past "lovers." She gets really angry at his refusal and tells her father Anu, god of all gods and god of the sky, that to punish Gilgamesh, they should send the Bull of Heaven (a drought) to starve and thirst men and Gilgamesh. She also thinks the drought will instill new desire in Gilgamesh and all men. Anu sends the Bull of Heaven down to Earth, and it kills three hundred men. Then it goes after Gilgamesh. Enkidu grabs the Bull's tail and twists it until the bull cannot breathe. Then he stabs the bull in the back of its neck. The bull dies, but Enkidu is still suffering from the wound that he received from Humbaba, and he begins to run a fever. The gods decide that either Humbaba or Enkidu must die because they killed first Humbaba and then the Bull of Heaven. Shamash says that Enkidu shouldn't die because he is "innocent," however, Enlil says Enkidu should die because Gilgamesh is two thirds god and is king. They choose Enkidu, who already knows that they will choose him to die. As Enkidu begins to fade away, he talks about his animal friends and blames the prostitute for making him "a man, a man who sees death in things." He asks Gilgamesh why this happens to them; is this what happens to friends?

Gilgamesh-Book One

Book One

In this book we learn of Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, who does as he pleases merely because he is king. Aside from this, we also learn of Enkidu, man that is like animal, who is Gilgamesh's supposed equal. Gilgamesh had been having dreams that his mother, Ninsun, interpreted to be about the coming of Gilgamesh's soul mate. As Gilgamesh is having dreams, the story focuses in on Enkidu, the animal-like man, and how he lives amongst the animals. He has known no other way of life than this. One day, a boy stumbles upon Enkidu and watches secretly and in awe as Enkidu acts very much like an animal, but is obviously still human. The boy is the son of a hunter, and Enkidu has been freeing all the animals from the hunter's traps. The boy tells his father about what he saw, and his father tells him to speak to Gilgamesh about it. He tells the boy to ask Gilgamesh to send a prostitute down to Enkidu that will sleep with him, and then Enkidu shall be shamed by the animals and abandoned. The prostitute sleeps with Enkidu, and Enkidu feels the presence of the animals leave him. He is now a man, not an animal. The prostitute shaves his long hair and makes him appear to be a proper man. She then takes him into Uruk where he meets Gilgamesh. Alike in appearance, (Enkidu slightly stronger) the town assumes Ekidu to be Gilgamesh's equal. They wrestle around in dislike for one another, but then realize that they are each others' equal and become friends instead.

Man's Quest For Immortality Presentation

IMMORTALITY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfTqXL0d9Ls

5 Steps to prolonging life, leading to immortality
1) Eat a healthy diet.
2) Be active everyday.
3) Take supplements such as vitamins or iron supplements, anything to keep your body's needs in check and balanced
4) Take good care of your body's parts that could be susceptible to early deterioration and your entire body in general. Don't over exert yourself very often, don't get too lazy though. Keep that healthy balance between the two.
5) Cyronics: This is the use of technology to either live longer, forever, or even bring back the dead. Freezing yourself is thought to be a possible way to be able to do these things. (freezing is done by injecting a solution into your system that will preserve your insides; a little like formaldehyde)

I've discovered that some people believe immortality to really happen someday, maybe even within the next 10,000 years, due to advanced technology and newly found knowledge. However, there are some who think that immortality will never be obtainable to any of us. The people who strive for this goal may have a fear of death or maybe they are just driven to do something that has, for years, been considered impossible.

Presentation

"Mad, perhaps insane, he tried to bring Enkidu back to life to end his bitterness, his fear of death. His life became a quest to find the secret of eternal life which he might carry back to give his friend" (Mason, pg. 55).
The quote above describes Gilgamesh's objective or reason for desiring immortality. Today people desire immortality for almost the same reasons as Gilgamesh does. There are three main reasons why people seek immortality: a fear of death, time, and to do what has always been said to be impossible. The biggest common element is fear of death, which ties right into Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is afraid of dying and being forgotten. The same goes for people today. The fear is caused by the thought that one day you will simply stop breathing, you will no longer exist, at least not in life. Although we don't know when we will die, we plan on having a long time before we die. This still isn't reassuring, though, because people know that time will run out eventually. People want to have endless time; time to waste, time to do countless things they've always wanted to do. With a time limit on our life span, we begin to feel rushed, pressured to do the things we want before our time runs out. Another reason people want immortality is because it is said to be impossible. To achieve what is thought to be impossible would be a great accomplishment, a tremendous achievement for people. People desire this success.

1) fear of death
2) running out of time
3) attain the impossible