Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the most common topics discussed in history classes with good reason. It gives us an idea of how mankind began with their idea on laws. However no one with certainty can pinpoint when the history of mankind began. We can have a varied speculation about any evidence of early man in specified areas such as those destined archeological digs. The discovery of an ancient civilization is never truly the place on where mankind began even though Mesopotamia is considered the cradle of where man began. There are only two recognized clear paths one could take while comparing parallel stories to the Epic of Gilgamesh and that is religious or folklore. You can take the middle path which is the neutral and most common path. With this approach if some evidence presents itself either in a religious or mythical ways, then you are more likely to choose whatever makes more sense to you at that moment without falling into either category. However, in this case the scientific, such as with social anthropology and Ethnology would work when reflecting on both of these ancient writings. What sticks out to me the most about these stories is the birth of law.

That being said the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Code of Hammurabi is just one of the versions of the beginning of man and laws as the Bible is another version. All ancient civilizations have heroes and villains it is how we understand good from evil or right from wrong. But there is a drawback and that is what that civilization considered right from wrong. When we read Gilgamesh and his pursuits of young girls and bedding the bride before the groom we think what a tyrant. His people began thinking that he was overstepping boundaries as well a requested godly assistance to rectify to problem. What causes one to question a leader’s actions is to question himself with “Would I behave this way if I were the leader?” This is how laws get modified and that would include the behavior of Hammurabi version of laws as well.

From these basic beginnings of extreme laws and abidance comes the more justified laws and abidance of today. These laws of course have been refined throughout the ages especially by the Romans which happen to be an adopted idea for use in current U.S. laws and abidance. We can take both of the stories and learn from how mankind’s idea of laws started and their reasons behind them. I believe the idea of laws at first was not just about control but it was about civilizing societies so they would worked together to better our survival and increase our kind. Unfortunately the human ambition to be on top can drive the most sincere people to be power hungry which is what I think happened in both stories. Gilgamesh was powerful to the point of madness and Enkidu used his power to maintain companionship with Gilgamesh. Hammurabi was so consumed with his way or the highway attitude that he made so many laws to ensure his way that he couldn’t keep up with which caused widespread fear. It is a prime example of how such behaviors are not just reserved for the “barbaric’ but has the capability to reveal itself just as easily within a civilized foundation of today.