![]() Only by destroying that soul (sometimes represented as a literal object like an egg) can the individual truly be extinguished. This is an external soul of the individual, another part of the self, that exists free from the injuries that the physical body endures. Many folk traditions explore this concept of indestructibility through the motif of the spiritual double or doppelganger. These unconscious, infantile fantasies remain with us and live on in the myths, fairy tales, and religious doctrines that humans have created. These are actually primal urges, fantasies for bodily indestructibility, endless and instant gratification, and protection from malevolent outside forces. We see this when the infant reacts to being torn away from the mother’s breast, or the temper tantrum when she is deprived of the things she wants. This concept of limitless bounty has its roots in infantile psychology, where even the newborn child appears to have some vague idea of mythology and an awareness of a state of bliss beyond the distractions of the day-to-day world. In the Irish legend of the Prince of the Lonesome Island, the hero is rewarded by being able to eat from a table with food that automatically replenishes, freeing him from hunger and want-he has achieved limitless bounty, indestructible life, the Ultimate Boon. This sounds a lot like what Gilgamesh is looking for in his quest for immortality. This is often shown by the ease with which the hero is now able to obtain the things that they seek. The 11th stage of Campbell’s hero’s journey is called “the ultimate boon.” In this stage of the hero’s journey, the hero achieves their goal and is reborn as a superior being. Why doesn’t Gilgamesh’s immortality quest turn out well? Before we dive into Gilgamesh’s immortality search, let’s look at the elements of the hero’s journey to discover why seeking physical immortality is always doomed. Gilgamesh’s Immortality Quest and the Hero’s Journey We’ll cover the elements of King Gilgamesh’s search for immortality and discuss why he had to fail in this endeavor, according to the standards of the hero’s journey popularized in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. What happens in the ancient epic when King Gilgamesh seeks immortality? How does Gilgamesh’s immortality-search align with Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? And why isn’t Gilgamesh successful? Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here. Shortform has the world's best summaries of books you should be reading. ![]() This article is an excerpt from the Shortform summary of "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell.
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