Is gilgamesh the kind of hero that you admire?

Answer 1

Although the original Sumerian Gilgamesh poems are fairly one dimensional in their praise of the hero king, the later Epic of Gilgamesh is more critical.

Gilgamesh oppresses the citizens of Uruk so much that they appeal to the gods for help in tablet one. He ignores wise counsel to go and kill Humbaba and insults the goddess Ishtar after killing the Bull of Heaven. These actions lead directly to Enkidu's death. Finally he abandons his kingly duties to go on a fruitless search for immortality and is suitable chastened by the wise immortal he meets at the end of his journey.

The epic does express a degree of admiration for Giglamesh's exploits but ultimately it is his restoration of lost cultic knowledge, his building activities, his physical prowess, the hardships he suffers, and the legacy of his story that the epic admires most (introduction to tablet one).

Answer 2

Basically, he is absolutely enormous and has super-human strength. The Epic of Gilgamesh talks about him being so gigantic and strong that the other "normal" people in his city couldn't stand him because he would force them to "compete" in games against him that he would win every time without trying. No one could compete with him. This made him an excellent warrior as well (off the top of my head I believe that he was supposed to be something like thirty-six feet tall). As far as "internal" qualities that make him heroic go, the story lacks these compared to the physical powers. He is arguably courageous (he takes on a monster that no-one else dares to fight) and he is very loyal. About half the epic is him trying to find a way to bring his best friend back to life, which sort of goes to show his faithfulness.

Answer 3

Gilgamesh is a complex hero; his journey includes both admirable qualities like courage and strength, as well as flaws that make him relatable and human. While his actions may not always be commendable, his struggles and growth throughout the epic story make him a compelling and enduring figure in literature.