By: Jaz
One of the oldest known pieces of literature known to humans, about a mighty hero that wants to make a name for himself and be remembered as a good king, has a lot in common with a story about a trans teen trying to be accepted by her classmates. Gilgamesh and Dreadnought are similar in the way that they created invincible characters with flaws and share the same form of storytelling and outlook; they differ in time, setting, and way of life they still share many characteristics.
In both Dreadnought and Gilgamesh, characters have to prove themselves. Danielle in Dreadnought is constantly having to deal with what others think of her, whether it may be her parents, friends, and/or classmates. As an outcome of this, she will have to prove herself to others many different times in the story. Just as Danielle does this Gilgamesh goes through hardship just to prove himself to people, one example of this is, “I will kill Humbaba, I will make a lasting name for myself, I will stamp my face on men's minds forever.” This shows how Gilgamesh wants to make an impression on the people that he rules and be liked by everyone. Danielle is the same in the way that she wants to be liked after being called names and judged by her classmates for being trans. Throughout Dreadnought she is trying to get people to accept her and like her, just like Gilgamesh.
In the epic of Gilgamesh, the main character Gilgamesh meets his counterpart Enkiduu, his companion. Enkidu was created by the gods to be a companion and mentor/friend of Gilgamesh “He will be your double, your second self, a man who is loyal, who will stand at your side through the greatest dangers. Soon you will meet him, the companion of your heart”. (pg.84) This is similar to Dreadnought in how they meet their counterpart and friend/companion, just as how Enkidu is a mentor to Gilgamesh teaching him about compassion, care, and mortality so is Sarah (Danielle’s friend) in Dreadnought. Throughout the story, she teaches everything she knows to Danielle and helping her through her life, and a great friend to her.
Not everything about Gilgamesh and Dreadnought is the same, and they have many differences as well. Although they both have clear enemies they wish to defeat they aren't the same, Danielle has a much more apparent enemy and a clear reason to go after them, they are trying to wipe out many people and are causing a sort of disturbance always. However, in the epic, Gilgamesh Humbaba stays in the forest and does not cause harm to anyone except for being a cause of fear. “Humbaba is the forest guardian, Enlil put him there to terrify men” (pg.96) This is stating how Humbaba is just a guardian of the forest and nothing more while also showing contrast in the two.
Although a story of a mighty king and adventurer and a teenager struggling with life have many differences, they still share some fundamental similarities. Both Gilgamesh and Danielle must overcome obstacles, face hardships, and struggle with their identity while on the path to fighting the story’s antagonist, and along the way meeting companions and friends while at the same time making enemies and foes. While they have their differences, they both follow a similar path as protagonists of their own and separate stories.
