Erik Schiferle

Lit Hum
10/29/09
Power and Authority
Power can turn the most noble and generous of men into the most evil and immoral.
Power will consume people and will give them a sense of self-entitlement to do as they please.
Power will drive people to do things that they never thought imaginable. In both the Iliad and
Gilgamesh, characters are granted power, but exercise it in different ways. The key difference
between how the characters use that power is governed by the establishment of an authority or
adversary.
In Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third man. He is king of a people in
Uruk with superhuman capabilities. He is so distinguished that He has no equal when his
weapons are brandished, his companions are kept on their feet by his contests. For this reason,
he acts as though he has the right to tyrannize his people. He lets no daughter go free to her
mother. He lets no son go free to his father, by day and by night his tyranny grows harsher.
He rapes women and is oppressive to his subjects. Gilgamesh does what he pleases.
Gilgamesh has power. He has the physical characteristics of a god and holds the most
powerful title in a country, king. There is no equal to his power. He has no authority. For this
reason he conducts himself as though he has liscence, complete freedom.
Contrasted with Gilgamesh is the epic character Achilleus. Like Gilgamesh, Achilleus is
also part god and possesses superhuman strength. Physically, Achilles is superior to all. Because
of this, he can get away with choosing not to fight in battle; very few would call him on this
action. Be this as it may, Achilleus is still under the command of an authority figure,
Agamemnon. Although not physically superior, the rank of Agamemnon does warrant Achilles to
an extent. The scene describing Achilles dilemma when pondering whether to draw from beside

his thigh the sharp sword, driving away all those who stood between and hill the son of Atrues,
or else to check the spleen with and keep down his anger is where one can see the power of an
authority figure. Achilleus did not draw his sword, he kept down his anger. One could argue that
he was convinced by Athena, but the key fact is that he had a choice. Achilleus could have killed
all those between him and Agamemnon and Agamemnon himself and had no difficulty, but he
did not. Achilleus yielded to the authority figure and composed himself.
Although both Achilleus and Gilgamesh are very powerful, the two act differently in each
story. Gilgamesh has no restraints and Achilleus is more reserved because he has an authority
figure. However, this contrast between the two characters disappears with the creation of
Gilgameshs equal, Enkidu. Because of Gilgameshs cruel attitude, the gods created an equal for
Gilgamesh. They believed that an equal would qualm Gilgameshs spirits, which it did. This
becomes evident after the fight scene between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The two engage in battle
until Gilgamesh knelt, one foot on the ground, his anger subsided, he broke off from the fight.
At this point in the story, Gilgamesh takes a whole new outlook on life. He becomes humbler, he
slays and evil monster Humbaba, and even gains fear of something, death. The installment of an
adversary is what creates this transformation from a barbaric, tyrant to a more humble, caring
man.
Behavior is largely dictated by the situation. For the most part, the majority of people are
good at heart. However, when no one is watching or when no one can do anything to stop
someone, temptation will often get the best of us. It only takes one occasion for a series of
misjudgments to occur. This is seen time again in literature, but is highly recognizable in both the
Iliad and Gilgamesh. With great power, comes great responsibility. But to double check that

responsibility, it is best to have an adversary or authority figure to ensure that characters will not
let the appeal of power get the best of them.