Danielle Gorman
World Foundations
January 15, 2011
Analysis #1
Hubris: Gilgamesh’s Hamartia—In the Mesopotamian Sense
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, a story is told of a young warrior who is two parts god and one part
human. Gilgamesh is blessed with good looks, “a perfect body”. Not only was he strong and handsome,
but he was endowed with wisdom and extensive knowledge. Shamash, god of the sun, gave him his
beauty. Adad gave him his courage. The Gods made his beauty perfect, “surpassing all others”. He was
intimidating, “like a bull”. Enlil gave him an everlasting kingship. He built many temples and a great wall
to protect his city. Gilgamesh is the archetypal hero. He is the basis for every hero you read about in
every story. With his fortuitous looks and power, he unfortunately suffers from that failing which seems
to plague every hero in the book. His inherent flaw is his pride, or hubris. Hamartia is a Greek word that
means “tragic flaw”. It can be applied here because it is evident that Gilgamesh’s flaw is very prevalent
in the epic. Gilgamesh’s hamartia is his unyielding pride in the face of reason.
The first instance that manifests Gilgamesh’s problem with excessive pride is at the very
beginning of the epic. It states that “His lust leaves no virgin to her lover” (62). The study guide mentions
“le droît du seigneur” which is the right of the Lord of the manor to “sleep with any new bride living on
his lands the night before her wedding” (Gilgamesh study guide). When Gilgamesh attempts to do this at
the beginning of the book, he is challenged by Enkidu, and the two of them battle in front of the
maiden’s home, crashing fences and shattering doorposts (69). When Enkidu challenged him, Gilgamesh
should have used diplomacy instead of fists to argue his point. However, Gilgamesh is not always
rational, and his pride was tested by Enkidu, causing the two to fight.
My second example of Gilgamesh’s pride is after the death of Enkidu. After Gilgamesh laments
his death, he is suddenly accosted by the knowledge that he too is mortal. This scares him extremely. He
cries, “How can I rest, how can I be at peace? Despair is in my heart. What my brother is now, that shall I
be when I am dead.” His fear of death is the catalyst that sends him on his journey to find Utnapishtim,
the only man to ever be granted eternal life (97). Gilgamesh knows that he is an important figure in
Uruk. He doesn’t want to die because he enjoys life too much and the privileges it grants him.
My third example is not a concrete scene in the epic. There are phrases that Gilgamesh will say
which show his pride, oftentimes in his calling somebody a coward, or refusing to back down from a
challenge. When the Council advises Gilgamesh not to journey and fight Humbaba, he laughs and replies
“How shall I answer them; shall I say I am afraid of Humbaba, I will sit at home all the rest of my days?”
(74). Another time, when Enkidu and Gilgamesh are in the forest about to fight Humbaba Enkidu’s
courage falters and he pleads to return to the city. Gilgamesh tells him “Immolation and sacrifice are not
yet for me…he who leaves the fight unfinished is not at peace.” And Gilgamesh begins the fight with
Humbaba (80-81).
There are several examples in literature and entertainment that contain a protagonist with an
excess amount of hubris. Take, for example, Sherlock Holmes in the new adaptation of Sherlock Holmes
which came out last year. Holmes believes that he can do anything he wants, regardless of decorum or
obligation. He does not go through the correct authority when he should. He does not curb his tongue
and says whatever he wants, often insulting people, like Watson’s fiancé. Gilgamesh and Holmes do not
understand that excessive pride is excessively annoying. If they were acquainted with that fact, perhaps
they would not have constantly flaunted their pride in the face of all reason.