As a reader, have you ever thought of symbolism when reading historical works? If so, then you have seen more than enough symbolism in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Throughout the story, Gilgamesh symbolizes emotions, ideas, and religious events which have echoed through history, and which influenced the formation of modern day culture. Through the interaction between Gilgamesh and the goddess Ishtar the epic demonstrates a man’s temptation for lust, and became a symbol for similar interactions which continue to this day. Through recognisable symbols from stories such as Gilgamesh, people learn to avoid certain problems by using symbols to guide their life. However, a symbol must be understood before it can be used.

 

The interaction between Gilgamesh and Ishtar happened after he and Enkidu killed Humbaba the Terrible. She approached him and offered him her hand in marriage, which included riches, prosperity, and her body. She offered to fill all of his desires, which any human would be a fool to deny. Despite the logical reasons to accept her offer, Gilgamesh denied her offer and threw away his once in a lifetime chance to achieve his desires. As a reaction to his answer, Ishtar sent a bull down from the heavens to punish Gilgamesh for refusing her. But the question is why did Gilgamesh refuse her?

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Ishtar is the goddess of fertility and widely known across the old world for constantly replacing her spouse. She would always get bored of every new husband she obtained, so she often cursed their lives as an act of divorce. Her previous spouses included the God Tammuz who weeps year after year, a shepherd bird who she took wings from, a brave stallion she abused, a herdsman who was turned into a wolf, and her father’s gardener who. All suffered due to a relationship with Ishtar (“Gilgamesh”, 41). Gilgamesh, despite sleeping with most of the women in the kingdom himself, observed their suffering and didn’t want to share the same fate. He wanted a life where he could accomplish great things so his name would be carried on through history, and he knew that he couldn’t have that with Ishtar. Her inconsistency with other men gave her the title of “Heavenly Prostitute” in Mesopotamia (Jones). Despite the temptation of all the wealth and prosperity she offered, he felt that his future was far more valuable than any short-term wealth Ishtar would offer.

 

The idea that Gilgamesh had of valuing his future and life over short-term wealth is a very common idea in the modern world, where people often value love and connection over prosperity. Despite the growth in this new idea, the interaction between Ishtar and Gilgamesh has mimicked its way into the modern era. An example of this in modern culture is the situation in the Dark Shadows movie, where an impoverished witch demanded that the heir to the richest family in Collinsport marry him. As a result of his refusal, she killed everyone that he loved. Many people today still marry into families with wealth and prestige because they believe the union will strengthen the social status of both partners, rather than be blinded by the idea of love.

 

In conclusion, the situation with Gilgamesh and Ishtar has symbolized the temptations of many men from the start of time to the present day. Despite Ishtar offering King Gilgamesh everything he could ever dream of, he refused because he wanted a meaningful life and future without the potential pain she could inflict. His refusal symbolized a change in traditional marriage where people marry for love rather than offerings of wealth and lust. However, both kinds of marriages still occur in the modern era, as tradition has passed them down from generation to generation. Can you now see and understand the symbolism of Ishtar and Gilgamesh?                                                                                                                                                                

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Works Cited

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Jones, L. E., & JONES, L. E. (2012). Ishtar. In Gods, goddesses, and mythology. Marshall Cavendish Reference. Credo Reference: https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/mcgods/ishtar/0?institutionId=3007

 

“Gilgamesh.” World Mythology: an Anthology of The Great Myths and Epics. Edited by Donna Rosenburg, Glencoe, 1999, 28-56.