The Foundation of Existentialism in the Oldest Story Ever Told The Epic of Gilgamesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65828/c8ecrh72Keywords:
Anxiety, Authenticity, Buber, Death, Gilgamesh, Heidegger, KierkegaardAbstract
The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered as one of the first stories ever told, which dates back to approximately 3,000 B.C. Yet, this ancient story addresses some of the basic premises of existentialism, particularly as explored in the works of Kierkegaard, Buber, and Heidegger. This paper is an existential analysis of the story, its hero, and the deeper messages of this timeless portrayal of grappling with death and search for meaning, whose many lessons pertain aptly to the struggles of the 21st century human existence. It also, convincingly, conveys the message that what we refer to as existentialism is perhaps as old as humanity itself, and not simply a product of the 19th or the 20th century. This ‘voice’ from the distant past calls us to approach life in an engaged, passionate manner, while fully remaining aware of its uncertain, ephemeral nature.
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