Monster, Monstrum, Uncanny, and Excess: A Case Study on Otherness from the Epic of Gilgameš

This paper explores monstrosity in the Epic of Gilgameš through four analytical lenses: the monster as a fearful being; the monstrum as an object of wonder; the uncanny as unfamiliarity; and excess as transgression. It examines Huwawa — the epic’s paradigmatic monster — through his appearance, powers, and the emotions he provokes. The depictions of Gilgameš, Enkidu, and the Cedar Forest are analyzed via the Latin monstrum, signifying what is extraordinary and foreboding. The heroes’ encounters with other characters and spaces are interpreted through the uncanny, which extends beyond the visual to a sense of non-normality. Gilgameš’s actions are viewed through the notion of excess, understood as exceeding normative limits, echoing the Greek heroic model in Angelo Brelich’s view. The conclusion situates these perspectives within broader dynamics of otherness, with the monstrous as their most visible expression.