literary archetypes

Hero/Antihero:

Gilgamesh is really both hero and antihero. He is looked at as a spectacular king by his people. He proves he big and mighty by killing Humbaba. Killing Humbaba and going on this quest are two things that show Gilgamesh’s heroism and his determination. Gilgamesh can also be viewed as the antihero because when Enkidu dies he has nothing he wants to look forward to he feels helpless. Gilgamesh wants to go look for immortality. He has to do a lot of wandering and grieving before he can come to peace.

The Wise Fool:

The wise fool is Utnapishtim. He is wise person in Gilgamesh. When Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh about the great flood. That he was chosen to be immortal. Even though he didn't want immortality. Uthapishtim knowledge was given to Gilgamesh.


The Devil Figure:

Ishtar shows her devil ways in Gigamesh by her actions and how she goes about things. She was the one that decided to send down the Bull of Heaven down the earth and kill three hundred men and attempt to kill Gilgamesh. The only reason she does this is because He wont marry her. She is extremely mean because she played a part in the flood and thinks that the human life should be gone.

The Outcast:
Enkidu is an outcast either by man or animal throughout the story. When the prostitute slept with him the animals didn't want anything to do with him so She shaved his hair and made him look like a man.
But when he was considered a animal everyone looked at him as he was a freak of nature.


The Scapegoat:

Enkidu was the sacrifice because Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed the bull of heaven and Humbaba. The gods decided that Gilgamesh or Enkidu will die because of that. The gods decided Enkidu to die because he is hurt from Humbaba. And Gilgamesh is two thirds god. Enkidu knows that he was going to be chosen by the gods, he excepts the reasons of the gods.


The Temptress:

I believe the temptress is immortality because it is something most men want they want to live forever. The gods get mad if people search for immortality because it means they are equal to them and thats not true. that is why to gods sent down the flood to get rid of mankind and show them where they belong.


The Good Mother:
Ninsun because she is the mother and she is worried about Gilgamesh. She tries to protect him and Enkidu.
But Siduri does more for nurturing and all that jazz so i believe that there is two possible good mothers.