The interaction between humans and non-humans in the Epic of Gilgamesh
The interaction between humans and non-humans in the Epic of Gilgamesh relates to human beings being at the mercy of the gods. Evident from Gilgamesh, a king, whose partly god and part man, he possesses no compassion for Uruk’s purely mortal inhabitants. Gilgamesh murders the sons of Uruk and sexually harasses (rapes) their daughters. As a king, Gilgamesh is accused of infringing upon the young’s morals by forcing the young children to toil as slaves. Additionally, he exploits office power by raping wedded brides on their wedding night, leaving no virgins to their husbands. Gilgamesh is referenced as a terrifying being than the rest of the humans. On the other hand, The Arabian Nights presents genies who portray their interactions with humans similar to that in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Based on the story of the Fisherman and the Jinni, during their first meet, the Jinni seeks to reward the Fisherman with bitterness and resentment. He offers the Fisherman three choices of deaths for freeing him after being locked in a bottle for over four hundred years of imprisonment. The Fisherman is left at the mercy of the Jinni however, he manages to outsmart the Jinni and get away with riches at the end.
It is however not all about being inferior to the non-humans in both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Arabian Nights but rather a means of love, compassion and assistance. From the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu is created from clay and water and placed in the wilderness with a purpose of matching up to Gilgamesh’s power and placing an end toward his awful deeds on the people of Uruk. Enkidu also partly human and god, relates with harmoniously with the beasts assisting them escape from traps set by humans. Enkidu succeeds at altering the heart of Gilgamesh from destruction into compassion through his friendship. Gilgamesh and his acts of raping women ceased and he becomes humbled by Enkidu. The people of Uruk appreciate such acts and when Enkidu dies, Shamash, the prostitute assures him that he will be mourned. Following up on the Arabian Nights, the story of Aladdin’s Lamp, the genie is compliant and compassionate to non-humans baring similar elements to the Epic of Gilgamesh. Aladdin acquires a lamp with a genie in it who helps fulfil his wishes of wealth, companionship and leadership. The genie is freed and wishes to thank his master by offering three wishes which he gladly and effortlessly fulfils at the pleasure of his master.
The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Arabian Nights differ on how they interact between humans and non-humans on certain categories while confronting the theme of religion and luck. Within the stories of the Arabian Nights, we come across the Fisherman and the Jinni who keeps fishing but to his avail, keeps receiving nothing worthwhile until he calls upon god and is able to fish out a Jinni trapped in a bottle. His luck should have turned around however; the gods send him tragedy with the Jinni granting him three choices of death rather than wishes. The gods grant his hardwork and loyalty to his religion with more cumbersome troubles than solution or relief. However due to his clever and sharp mind, he is able to outsmart the Jinni. Drawing from the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods are fair enough to hear and answer the cries of the people of Uruk with positively by sending a helper, Enkidu who overturns the heart of Gilgamesh. Therefore, when comparing the portrayals of interactions between humans and non-humans in The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Arabian Nights, reflecting on the themes of the two texts respectively, we can conclude that the results are both positive and negative while some bare similarities and others differences.