THE ENDLESS JOURNEY OF THE HERO IN MELİH CEVDET ANDAY'S POEMS WITH THE TITLE GILGAMIS BEHIND IMMORTALITY

Abstract

Melih Cevdet Anday's poetry book Gilgamesh Behind Immortality consists of three parts: "End of Summer Poems", "Night on the Farm While Waking Up from Noon Sleep" and "Gilgames Behind Immortality". There are four poems in this final chapter, which has the same title as the book: "Burst to the Sun", "Civilized and Wild", "Forest and Order", and "Death and Immortality". These four poems; The hero's endless journey has been examined in the context of his departure, initiation, and return. Departure is a journey call to the hero. Initiation are tests that the hero must pass. The return, on the other hand, is the return of the hero, who has passed the exams and is enlightened, to the place where he left off. Gilgamesh; thanks to agriculture, animal husbandry and trade, abundance and fertility are experienced; He is the king of the city of Uruk, where his people are protected from enemies by a wall built around it. Also, the keeper of the cedar forests is the hero who slew the beast along with his friend Enkidu. Gilgamesh fears death after the death of his friend Enkidu. He seeks infinity. For this, he seeks and finds Utnapishtim, who has been given immortality. However, he goes through many adventures on his way. Gilgamesh returns to Uruk initiated. He has changed and transformed as a result of his experiences. It has passed from the period of ignorance to the period of enlightenment.