The Sense of Pride and Reward in 'The Epic of Gilgamesh' and 'Star Wars'
Like various topics in our world today, there are many differences and similarities. These differences can be shown through popular ideas and non-popular ideas, visuals, and hearings, or even books and movies. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Star Wars show multiple ideas of similarity and difference from an impossible idea, a sense of pride, or even a final reward.
The sense of pride can be shown between The Epic of Gilgamesh and Star Wars. Pride can be seen in Gilgamesh because he does many acts. He kills Humbaba, kills the lions, and travels thousands of miles. These are all of great accomplishments, but it gives Gilgamesh a sense of pride that he can do anything and everything. This is not true because later on in the story he finds out he cant aquire eternal life. While on the opposite hand in Star Wars, Han Solo is not used to taking command from others. Han is used to being in charge and making all the last decisions himself. He eventually gets set in his place when Princes Leah and Obi-Wan-Conobi tells him what to do. But he does get to use his sense of pride when they need to fly away and he is able to save everyone because of his piloting skills. Therefore having pride is not always a bad thing because it can lead to you reaching your final reward.
The idea of similarity we can see between the two pieces of Star Wars and The Epic of Gilgamesh is a David vs Goliath motif. In the story of The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh goes out to fight Humbaba. This demonstrates Gilgamesh as David and Humbaba as Goliath. This is so because Humbaba is a very strong and powerful creature/man, no one has ever tried to conquer him before. Therefore Gilgamesh asks for the gain of help from the god of the winds. Which then makes Gilgamesh able to defeat Humbaba, along with his strength. Whereas in Star Wars we see the motif when Luke destroys the Death Star. Luke is a very young pilot with not a ton of experience and the Death Star is one of the most heavily guarded and weaponized ships in the galaxy with only one flaw. Yet that one flaw seems impossible for anyone and even technology to defeat. Luke is able to accomplish this Goliath-like task with the help of the force. Once people do the impossible they can gain a sense of pride.
In the story The Epic of Gilgamesh, and the movie Star Wars, we see a final reward being taken. Not only a physical reward but an everlasting reward. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh has been searching for eternal life. Which he learns he cannot receive. But the god’s decide to give him not a physical gift, but an everlasting gift. They tell him he will be remembered forever and among many people. We can see that still today because schools everywhere are learning about his story. Then there is the final reward in Star Wars. This is a physical and everlasting reward. Luke and Hon Solo are given medals from Princes Leah which is a great honor. Along with a medal, they received great appreciation and recognition which will be told generation after generation.
From the many differences, there are in the world. We have seen the sense of pride, final reward, and the impossible idea in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Star Wars. From Gilgamesh traveling thousands of miles to inherit eternal life to Luke doing the impossible and destroying the death star. Two completely different settings, plots, characters, and so much more. Yet so many similarities.
