AN EVALUATION ON NATURE-CULTURE CONTRADICTION IN EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Abstract

The subject of this study is the examination of the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, which is the first known
written epic text and belongs to the Sumerians, from the "nature-culture conflict perspective" by
using “theory of contrasts” method of Claude L. Strauss. The Epic of Gilgamesh, dating from 2100
BC, is regarded as the earliest known written mythic-epic poem. It tells the adventures of
Gilgamesh and his close friend Enkidu. Gilgamesh is a ruthless king at first, but over time he turns
to be a hero. Endiku, a primitive young man, becomes his companion and a bold connection forms
between the two of them. In later times, Enkidu loses his connection with nature, gets weaker and
then loses his life. After this event, Gilgamesh starts seeking eternal life, but encounters the realities
of life itself. The purpose of this study is to reach to the relevant epic from the “view point of
contrasts” by using the “theory of binary oppositions of Claude Lévi-Strauss” who is a French
anthropologist, ethnologist and one of the most notable names of structural anthropology. By using
sample passages, determinations regarding oppositions such as “nature-culture conflict and natureculture harmony”, “chaos-cosmos”, “earth-sky dichotomy”, “heaven-hell”, “good-evil”, “lightdark” and “sacred- profane” were presented. As a result of all this information, it can be said that
the "life-death contrast" -which is the most fundamental contrast and can be determined with the
difference of a breath- and “afterlife concepts” -which are detected in beliefs and promise hopehave deeply penetrated into the epic text. These basic opposites explained in the study and the
dichotomous “principle of unity of opposites” help to analyze the context, heroes, time, places and
socio-cultural symbols of the relevant epic.