Sickness and Health

Sickness and Health
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Sickness and Health
For a long time now, I have been intrigued by the concepts of sickness and health, which just like light and darkness, are quite opposite in meaning. Sickness, which essentially refers to the state of being unwell or the fact or feeling of being affected with vomiting or nausea, is exact opposite of health, which is understood as the state of being injury-free or illness-free (Honneth 681). This research paper delves the theme of sickness and health; a topic that is relevant to the literature covered in the course. In this paper, the research is specifically focused on the subject of sickness and health in ancient times; that is, in the B.C.E millennia.
Love could at times bring sickness. In the Song of Songs poem, the poet who is a bride wrote, “In his long-for shade I am seated and his fruit is sweet to my taste. He has taken me to his banquet hall, and the banner he raises over me is love. Restore me with apples, for I am sick with love.” (Damrosch et al. 48). Here, the poet seems to point out how her lover can restore her health using food and fruits; if she is given raisin cakes and apples, her health would certainly be brought back and her sickness with love would be cured. The poet also wrote “I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, if you should find my Beloved, what must you tell him...? That I am sick of love” (Damrosch et al. 52). Apparently this female poet, a bride, had become unwell as a result of her feelings to her lover. She uses the word sick in this line to give emphasis to how much she really wanted her lover but she may not be necessary having any illness. Written in 1st millennium BCE, the Song of Songs is attributed to King Solomon.
Food is one of the most important things that sustain one’s health. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, some of the common foods at the time include confections and cooked meals. Drinking water was also important. Damrosch et al. (82) wrote that Enlil and Anu were served “cooked meals, confections and poured cool water from waterskins.” This illustrates the kinds of meals and drinks that people at the time of the Epic of Gilgamesh consumed to keep healthy. The poet continues “my friend has had a dream and bodes ill. Enkidu lies down a 1st day, a 2nd day...a 3rd and a 4th that Enkidu remains in his bed. A 5th a 6th and a 7th that Enkidu remains in his bed; an 8th a 9th and a 10th that Enkidu remains in his bed” (Damrosch et al. 82). In this section of the poem, the poet gives emphasis to the illness that Enkidu had, revealing that he had actually been lying in bed for over a week. The poet adds that in “the 11th and 12th day his illness grew ever worse” (Damrosch et al. 82). Here, the poet reveals to the readers that Enkidu had been lying in bed for nearly 2 weeks without waking up and that his sickness was in fact worsening and his health was deteriorating fast. Apparently, his death was near. He later died.
Gilgamesh cried bitterly: “may the men of the mountains and hills mourn you, may the Roads of Enkidu to the Cedar Forest mourn you, may the people who gave their blessings after us mourn you, may the cypress and the cedar which we destroyed in our anger mourn you” (Damrosch et al. 82). These words were uttered by Gilgamesh at a time when Enkidu’s health had gotten worse and his sickness was so severe that he could die any moment. In essence, these words uttered before Enkidu’s death demonstrate how close Gilgamesh and Enkidu were and how Gilgamesh was affected by the death of his friend Enkidu.
The health status of Gilgamesh somehow deteriorated after his friend Enkidu died and this underscores how significantly he was affected health wise. When the tavern-keeper saw Galgamesh approaching, she closed the door, the gate and the lock. Seeing this, Gilgamesh asked her “what have you seen that made you bolt your door, bolt your gate, and bolt your lock” (Damrosch et al. 86). The tavern-keeper replied “if you are Gilgamesh who killed the Guardian, who slew lions in the mountain passes, why are your cheeks emaciated, your expression desolate, your features so haggard?” (Damrosch et al. 86). Gilgamesh then replied to the tavern-keeper “Tavern-keeper, should not my cheeks be emaciated? My friend, the wild ass who chased the wild donkey, panther of the wilderness, Enkidu...the fate of mankind has overtaken him” (Damrosch et al. 87). This clearly shows that Gilgamesh’s health was affected to some extent following his friend’s bereaveme...