Themes of friendship, the role of the king, enmity, immortality, death, male-female relationships, city versus rural life, civilization versus the wild and relationships of humans and gods resound throughout the poem. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest story known to mankind, being written on Sumerian clay almost five thousand years ago (Garone). Two of The Epic of Gilgamesh's critical themes are friendship and mortality. Hubris is a dangerous form of pride. Other moral themes in this epic are the inevitability of death and the danger of dealing with the gods. That pride, or hubris, is Gilgamesh's undoing and a theme of the epic. While the epic of Gilgamesh is best known for its themes of friendship, worldly renown, and quest for immortality, it also seems to be concerned with the inexorable spread of humanity on this planet. The love within the friendship of Enkidu and Gilgamesh inspires both of them to be better men in different ways. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” conveys many themes important to our understanding of Mesopotamia and its kings. Since the story was originally known orally, the culture and themes from The Epic of Gilgamesh must have existed long before it was finally inscribed (Mark 4). It goes beyond pleasure and satisfaction in one's achievements or joy in the good fortune of those one loves. The Full Circle Theme of Death in The Epic of Gilgamesh November 30, 2015 December 1, 2015 The Scourge Of Bablyon ancient sumeria , gilgamesh , sumer , sumeria , the epic of gilgamesh In many ways, The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of a king’s struggle to understand and overcome death. The Epic of Gilgamesh has several moral themes, but the main theme is that love is a motivating force. Hubris is excessive pride that leads a hero to behave with too much confidence that he can prevail. The Epic of Gilgamesh confronts a number of important themes, but none is more prominent than that of confronting one’s mortality.