ESSAY Gilgamesh's Quest Becomes a Failure The Epic of Gilgamesh (2014) is a long story that depicts the deeds of a great hero. Gilgamesh was described as being two-thirds god and one-third human. He ruled the Sumerian city of Uruk and was a great hero of the past, as only such heroes were considered divine after death. His quest was unsuccessful. I will prove my point in this essay by focusing on the main metaphor, his relationship with Enkidu, his fame, Ishtar's rejection, Enkidu's death, and the journey to find eternal life. Gilgamesh was tall, handsome, imposing and played a remarkable role. deeds and he was the one who looked into the great abysses. “He opened passages in the mountains, dug walls on the edges of wells, sailed the Great Ocean, explored the ends of the earth” suggests that he was very adventurous and eager to gain knowledge. He suppressed all other kings and dominated common people. “His strength could break walls” suggests that he was brave and fearsome like a wild bull; he led the troops and defended the rear and was someone his soldier could always count on. He built many holy places that the flood had destroyed and restored rituals for the benefit of the people. Gilgamesh always had his "head held high", suggesting that he did not have equal strength and was wearing down his companions. “He leaves no young man for his father and no wife for his husband,” this suggests that he oppressed the people of Uruk. Gilgamesh sought eternal life. The dream he had of having a brother and a good friend who will always support him has come true. Gilgamesh described Enkidu as the mightiest in the land, with strength like a rock; this suggests that Enkidu's strength was compared to the rock of Anu which was hard and tough... middle of paper ...... nights and Gilgamesh did not succeed. He failed to obtain eternal life in his quest. When all this was done, Ut-Napishtim confided to him a secret mystery. It was a plant in the waters below that looked like a thorn bush, with spikes like a wild rose and this plant could restore his youth. He was going to test it on an old man and then eat it himself, but before reaching Uruk, they stopped near a pool of cool water. While he was bathing, a snake stole the plant and another failure in his quest. He achieved eternal fame. Instead, he did not marry Ishtar (with all the offerings), he lost both his brother and the plant that restores youth, and he did not gain eternal life. It would seem that he found only glory, but his quest was a failure..