The Friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu Essay

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the world’s oldest existing stories that were collected in Mesopotamia. It is a story about a heroic king named Gilgamesh, who treated his people in a nasty way. He was a domineering, and cruel leader, feared by many because of his unnatural strength. He forced his people into labor in order to expand his kingdom. The people cried unto the gods and they created Gilgamesh’s equal Enkidu, who they later became friends. Gilgamesh witnessed the death of his close friend Enkidu, and this made him to search for immortality because, he was afraid to die. However, he learnt that, no human was immortal, and that he was destined to die, just like his friend Enkidu.

Justice is described as a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness, or equity. The people of ancient Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia also believed and relied on this concept. Rulers, if not fair and just, were often eliminated by their subjects or their enemies. There were many great kings and pharaohs of the ancient age that were just to their kingdoms, and these often went down in history. Yet, those kings and pharaohs who were blinded by their own selfishness often became just as famous. Two men, Akhenaten of ancient Egypt and Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, were such rulers. They were powerful and cunning individuals, yet they let their own selfish nature ruin the ability to be a great

He occupies his time by seeking out and conquering the most difficult of tasks. He is exceptionally arrogant and is a womanizer at the expense of his own people. Enkidu is created to be the enemy of Gilgamesh, but because the two have so many similarities, they strike a quick and intense bond. It is through their adventures together that each illustrates the others strengths and weaknesses. Humbaba is the monster of Cedar Forest and during battle, hepleads for his life. Enkidu encourages Gilgamesh that he needs to die. It is Enkindu who delivers the final strike to Humbaba and the victory is theirs. At this time, the men are confident in their success and the people of Uruk are safe, but still they seek more adventure and only look to further their fame.

Gilgamesh is not a completely flawed character; he possesses, and obtains through his adventures, many positive qualities or virtues. For example, he is courageous. This virtue is evident during his battle with Humbaba. This forest giant is a fearsome adversary, aided by the gods, with a considerable size and strength advantage. Defeat of Humbaba takes the combined efforts of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. To succeed, Gilgamesh had to gain the courage to undergo this task. Enkidu rallies his friend by saying, “O Gilgamesh, remember now your boasts in Uruk. Forward, attacks, son of Uruk, there is nothing to fear.” (Sandars 20) With this, Gilgamesh’s “courage railed” (Sandars 20). He defeats and eventually kills Humbaba for which he is subsequently praised.

     Gilgamesh sets out on his journey for immortality, leaving his kingdom and people behind to fend for themselves. He starts to become self-seeking just as he had before. He spends every waking moment searching for immortality only to benefit himself. The whole purpose of the journey itself is so that Gilgamesh can gain immortality for himself and be remembered forever. He doesn’t realize that his people are off on there own with no king to control the empire. Even when

Many stories address the importance of companionship in one’s life and how a closeness with another person can lead to a mutual improvement on both sides of the relationship. The ancient Sumerian epic Gilgamesh explores the relationship between two soul mates, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, whose story was immortalized because of their dependence and trust in each other. Gilgamesh would not have been able to reach his full potential as a king, warrior, or person if it was not for the influence of Enkidu.

During Gilgamesh's search for immortality, we once again see improvement in his character. When Utnapishtim offers Gilgamesh a rejuvenating plant, Gilgamesh plans to give it to the elderly in Uruk rather than keeping it to himself. Here we see that Gilgamesh has been humbled. Although a snake steals the rejuvenating plant, Gilgamesh still learns a great deal from his journey. From Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh learns a great deal about immortality as well as responsibility. This knowledge is the final step in Gilgamesh's transition to a good

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of earliest known pieces of literature. Through years of storytelling and translation, The Epic of Gilgamesh became a timeless classic. This story is believed to have originated from Sumerian poems and legends about the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. Throughout the epic, many themes arose about women, love, and journeys and the one I would like to discuss is the theme of death. Also, I will discuss if Gilgamesh accepts morality at the end of the story and the development of Gilgamesh’s character throughout the story.

“Who says Gilgamesh ever died?” (Ziolkowski 57). The Epic of Gilgamesh has remained a widely read story throughout the years. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of an imperfect hero on a journey for everlasting life. It features Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and Enkidu, a wild beast man, on a journey of heroic quests and misadventures. This story has inspired many new literary and visual works in many languages; it has also inspired modern archeologists to learn all about the ancient city from the epic.

understanding that his own life must continue if it is to have meaning. Gilgamesh was willing to

Gilgamesh then gave up on his work to try to defeat death and despite his long hard journey, returns to Uruk no closer to immortality than he left. His fear of ending up dead like his friend Enkidu has finally become an inevitable reality and he has the ferrymen

No, Enkidu cried; it is the journey / That will take away our life. /

He then sent out to find Untapishtim which is where he thought eternal life would be. The first place his journey takes him is the twin peaked mountains called Musha. After rushing through the tunnel to beat the sun he emerges into a beautiful garden by the sea that’s where he meets Siduri. Siduri warns him that immortality is futile and he should be satisfied with his life and what he has. He doesn’t listen to Siduri and insists on moving forward being optimistic about finding eternal life. When Gilgamesh arrives to Untapishtim, he demands that he should be granted with eternal life. Utnapishtim gives him a test, “Prevail against sleep, and perhaps you will prevail against death.” (Mitchell, 191) Gilgamesh accepts this challenge, but fails immediately. Untapishtim orders him to return to Uruk, but he tells Gilgamesh of a spiny plant that grows in the water of the Great Deep. A miraculous plant that would restore youth. Gilgamesh goes and retrieves the plant. He plans to share it with the elders of Uruk, but before he could reach the city a snake steals the plant away. Gilgamesh did not return emptyhanded. He instead came back with the acceptance of mortality and a name for himself.

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, friendship is a strong theme that drives the story. The bond that Gilgamesh and Enkidu develop throughout the myth is a bond similar to that of brothers. Gilgamesh was fearless, but arrogant and Enkidu was created by the gods specifically to keep the legacy crazed Gilgamesh in check and to teach him humility; Enkidu becomes his conscience of sorts. Gilgamesh was oppressing the people of Uruk and Enkidu and needed to put a stop to it by confronting and fighting him. From what initially started as a violent encounter, their relationship bloomed into something that neither of them could have expected. Their connection really takes off after their encounter with the giant Hambaba and seals the deal on their friendship. They become basically inseparable and after Enkidu passed it completely rocked Gilgamesh because he had lost a huge part of his life. Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s eventual bond is the perfect example of checks and balances within life making this oldest hero’s tale still very relevant today.

With the death of his dearest friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh now begins to actually fear death and begins searching for the one man that was made immortal by the gods to ask him how to overcome death. In Gilgamesh’s own words, the death of his friend Enkidu has shaken him to the core. When speaking of his death he says “Enkidu, whom I so loved, who went with me through every hardship. The fate of mankind has overtaken him. Six days and seven nights I wept for him…I was frightened..I have grown afraid of death, so I roam the steppe, my friend’s case weighs heavy upon me..my friend whom I loved is turned into clay…Shall I too not lie down like him, and never get up forever and ever?” (pg. 78) Where before Gilgamesh wanted immortality so that he could continue a life of fame and