Question

Summarize: Why does Gilgamesh pick the plant that Utnapishtim has described? What does he want it to do for him?

Analyze Literature: Which physical characteristic of a snake makes it work well as the character who ends up benefiting from the plant?

Answer 1

Gilgamesh picks the plant described by Utnapishtim because he wants it to grant him eternal youth and immortality. In the epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is a heroic figure who is confronted with the reality of his own mortality. He seeks the plant in the hopes that it will bestow upon him the gift of eternal life, allowing him to escape the fate of death.

Now let's analyze the physical characteristic of a snake that makes it work well as the character who ends up benefiting from the plant.

One physical characteristic of a snake that makes it suitable for the character who benefits from the plant is its ability to shed its skin and renew itself. In many cultures, the snake is associated with regeneration and rebirth due to this unique characteristic. Similarly, in the epic of Gilgamesh, the snake is portrayed as the creature who ultimately benefits from the plant that grants eternal youth.

The snake's ability to shed its old skin and emerge with a fresh one is seen as a metaphor for rejuvenation and renewal. This aligns with the theme of immortality and eternal youth present in the epic. The snake's association with shedding and renewal makes it fitting that it is the one who takes possession of the plant, symbolizing the cycle of life and death.

In conclusion, Gilgamesh picks the plant because he desires eternal youth and immortality, and the snake is a suitable character to benefit from the plant due to its association with regeneration and renewal through shedding its skin.

Answer 2

Gilgamesh seeks the plant to grant him immortality, driven by fear of death after losing his friend Enkidu. The snake, known to renew through skin shedding, symbolizes rebirth and suits as the character benefiting from the plant's rejuvenating powers.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh seeks the plant, described by Utnapishtim, because it is believed to have the power to grant immortality. After the loss of his friend Enkidu, he is haunted by the fear of death and hopes that the plant can allow him to overcome mortality.

The snake is fitting character for benefiting from the plant because of its symbolism and physical characteristic. The snake's ability to shed its skin and appear renewed is a physical manifestation of rebirth and regeneration, symbolically aligning with the rejuvenating powers of the plant that Gilgamesh sought.

Learn more about Epic of Gilgamesh