In the epic of Gilgamesh the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is very complex and necessary. Their friendship brings animal, human, and god together. Gilgamesh is changed by his friendship with Enkidu. He becomes a better person and a better ruler because of Enkidu. Enkidu’s life is enriched because of his friendship with Gilgamesh. Enkidu was created to balance out Gilgamesh, and he accomplishes this goal. The two men are very close, and love each other deeply. Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu benefit from their friendship. Some of Gilgamesh’s qualities are that he had a “beauty… surpassing all others” and was “two thirds… god and one third man” (13). Before Enkidu, Gilgamesh acted horribly. He was a terrible ruler and a terrible man. Gilgamesh was not all good, for example, “his lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior’s daughter nor the wife of the noble…” (13). He was a terrible ruler. Gilgamesh was arrogant, but very powerful in his country. His people had no choice but to listen to him. They were forced to go along with his unlawfulness and stubbornness. Enkidu was created to be Gilgamesh’s equal and his soul mate. ‘“You made him… now create his equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart’” (14). So the goddess of creation, Aruru “dipped her hands in water and pinched off clay, she let it fall in the wilderness” and created Enkidu (14). Before Gilgamesh had met Enkidu he loved him; ‘“… I bent down, deeply drawn towards… [Enkidu]… I loved it like a woman and wore it at my side”’ (16). Enkidu had “virtue in him” (14). He was also “innocent of mankind” (14). After Enkidu was civilized the wild animals would not be near him. He felt ... ... middle of paper ... ...sh will miss the friendship he had with Enkidu. This is another reason he mourns Enkidu’s death. Both Enkidu and Gilgamesh benefited from their friendship. They each got a friend, and they each gained wisdom. Enkidu gained wisdom in knowing the finer things in life. Gilgamesh gained wisdom in knowing that he would be punished when he died; he wants a second chance at life. Gilgamesh shows Enkidu the finer things, and Enkidu shows Gilgamesh that he will be punished in his death. These are the reasons that their friendship was a good thing. This topic in Gilgamesh is one of the most controversial ones, but Gilgamesh and Enkidu both gained a friend and wisdom that they did not have before. Without this friendship neither would be the changed people they are at the end of their lives. Gilgamesh and Enkidu needed each other, even if they did not know it.
The idealization of Gilgamesh success will help its ethical structure. However, in the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh was very arrogant by the gods and so the people of Uruk decide to teach him a lesson. They sent Enkidu. At first they were enemies and soon after they became friends during their dangerous journey. It has been a long time Gilgamesh needed a friend and we learned that in the epic they teach each other some lesson and their friendship grow stronger. They were now brothers and they both show some weaknesses but they teach each other how they can conquer it. During the whole journey Gilgamesh has truly changed for the better. So, the people of Uruk can learn from their ruler. They realize that the king has risked his life and that the people of Uruk ethical structure was created. They had specialized occupations and the most common work was architecture. They were the ones who build the strongest and tallest walls to make sure that the accomplishments of Gilgamesh will remain forever. The people of Uruk were also educated, they were the first city to ever discover literature and writing. Gilgamesh was amazed by his people and he was content with everything now since all he was worrying about was being immortal. Yet, his people and the creation they construct made Gilgamesh immortal. The structure of the community must also be equal since Gilgamesh is working hard for his people,
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, we see a significant transition or development of the main character as the story progresses. Throughout the epic, we see Gilgamesh act as a tyrant, fearless warrior, depressed man, a man filled with fear, and a man who has finally accepted his fate. The epic begins by describing Gilgamesh as a king who tyrannizes his people. “He will couple with the wife-to-be, he first of all, the bridegroom after” (pg 15). We see that Gilgamesh abuses his power as king and terrorizes the people. The people of Uruk plead the gods to ease Gilgamesh’s burden. The gods answered the prayers created an equal to match Gilgamesh. Enkidu a wild-born chimera, part animal and part man, would
The epic of Gilgamesh opens with the people of Uruk unhappy about Gilgamesh's behavior. He sends all boys off to war and no virgin is left to her groom because Gilgamesh must have them first. The people appeal to the gods and Aruru, goddess of creation, fashions Enkidu. Her intentions are to create someone who can resist Gilgamesh, although Enkidu first acts as a wild beast grazing in the fields and protecting the other animals. A harlot is called for to civilize Enkidu and after sleeping with her he realizes he is forever changed and now must go to fulfill his destiny. He travels to Uruk to challenge Gilgamesh. Although Gilgamesh wins, he is forever changed and gains a true friend. What is the meaning of the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu for an understanding of the epic Gilgamesh?
At the beginning of this passage, Gilgamesh and Enkidu calls each other “my friend” before the contents (line 11, 15). It is not only a sense of respect, but also an indication that they have been friends for a long time and already established strong friendship. When sentences as “[Said] Gilgamesh to [him,] to Enkidu” “Said Enkidu to him, to Gilgamesh” that follows the same style and template are presented, the similarities between the two heroes and the completion of dialogue are highlighted (lines 10-14). Besides friend, Enkidu is also Gilgamesh’s “companion” which described in the tenth line “Gilgamesh heard the word of his companion.” (line 19) Not just some friendship formed when people share same interest and talk with each other frequently, their relation are build up with more mutual experience and encouragement. The word companion means that Enkidu is fights along with and backs up Gilgamesh, granting Enkidu and Gilgamesh both powerful
In the beginning of the book, Gilgamesh appears to be selfish. Gilgamesh’s “arrogance has no bounds by day or night” (62). Even though he is created by the Gods to be perfect, he misuses his powers and gifts for his own earthly pleasure. He has sexual intercourse with all the virgins of his city even if they are already engaged. Through all Gilgamesh’s imperfections and faults, he learns to change his amoral personality. The friendship of Enkidu helped to change his ways, for only Enkidu, who “is the strongest of wild creatures,” (66) is a match for Gilgamesh. Through this companionship with Enkidu, Gilgamesh starts to realize his incapabilities and need for his friend. When they fight Humbaba, they both give moral support to each other when the other is scared. Another event that changes Gilgamesh’s character is the death of Enkidu. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh goes through the suffering of losing a loved one. Gilgamesh experiences a pain, which no worldly pleasure can ease. By this experience Gilgamesh starts to understand his vulnerability toward death and pain. Losing his best friend causes Gilgamesh to be melancholic. At this point Gilgamesh is humbled by the fact that even he could not escape the wrath of death. Gilgamesh goes from this arrogant king to a lonely grieving person with fear of death in his heart.
Such is the case with the story of Gilgamesh. Enkidu was made because Gilgamesh was not capable of being a good King. He was too arrogant and oppressive. Gilgamesh chose to be unfair to his people. Of course Enkidu ends up being a good addition to Gilgamesh's life. The friendship is beneficial to both Gilgamesh and Enkidu.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu became friends after fighting it out. Gilgamesh realized how strong he was and when they confronted each other again they "grasped one another, And embraced and held hands."
Everyone has qualities that are heroic and noble, and everyone has their flaws. No matter who they are, or how perfect others think they are, people still have some negative qualities that can hurt their heroic ones. In the book, The Epic of Gilgamesh, by Benjamin Foster, both Gilgamesh and Enkidu had positive and negative characteristics that affected the outcome of their journey and their adventures they experienced throughout their lives.
Once Gilgamesh saw that someone was protecting the animals from being hunted, he sent down a prostitute to seduce the trespasser. Shamhat, the prostitute, upon meeting Enkidu, was able to seduce him and it made him lose his animal attributes and become more human. Enkidu’s transformation showed him that his calling was not with the wild, but with humans. Shamhat and Enkidu then go back to the town where Gilgamesh ruled and Enkidu was able to witness the disastrous actions of their king. Enkidu begins to show his heroism when he stands against Gilgamesh’s actions by challenging him. Gilgamesh and Enkidu fight until Gilgamesh notices that he cannot defeat Enkidu and vice versa. They then become friends and Gilgamesh started treating his people more exceptionally. So, in essence, Enkidu would not have been born and turned civilized if not for Gilgamesh, and Gilgamesh would not have had a chance to become a hero if not for
The purpose of Enkidu's birth was to "create the equal of Gilgamesh," and to bring rest to Uruk (pg. 5). This proves his lack of power when compared to the gods. Gilgamesh for example, despite being a demigod, rules Uruk and is free to determine his own destiny. Later on in the epic, Enkidu experiences a dream that further separates him form Gilgamesh. In his dream, he hears the gods declared "Let Enkidu die, but let not Gilgamesh die" (pg. 55). This proves the fragile nature of humanity because the gods condemned Enkidu, the mortal, rather than Gilgamesh, who is part god. Enkidu, despite his innocence, is condemned to death because of the actions of his immortal
In this Greek poem, the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu seems to be the ancient version of what the the modern world calls “bromance” today. Gilgamesh was seen as a wild and strong man to the people in the village. This became a bother to people who lives in the village and seeked for some help. In order to tame a person like Gilgamesh, the Goddess Aruru molded a clay figure to help tame Gilgamesh, and thus, Enkidu was created.
The epic begins with the men of Uruk describing Gilgamesh as an overly aggressive ruler. "'Gilgamesh leaves no son to his father; day and night his outrageousness continues unrestrained; And he is the shepherd of Uruk, the enclosure; He is their shepherd, and yet he oppresses them. Strong, handsome, and wise. . . Gilgamesh leaves no virgin to her lover.'"(p.18, Line 23-27) The citizens respect him, but they resent his sexual and physical aggression, so they plead to the gods to alleviate some of their burden. The gods resolve to create an equal for Gilgamesh to tame him and keep him in line. This equal, Enkidu, has an immediate impact on Gilgamesh. When they first meet, both having never before met a man equal in stature, they brawl. "They grappled with each other, Snorting like bulls; They shattered the doorpost, that the wall shook."(p.32, lines 15-18) In giving Gilgamesh a real battle, Enkidu instantly changes him; having this equal gives Gilgamesh a sense of respect for another man. These two men fighting each other creates a serious mess, but they both end up without animosity toward the other.
In Gilgamesh, he fights Humbaba with Enkidu, his best friend. Humbaba is the guardian of the Cedar Forest who was assigned by the god Enlil. Gilgamesh doesn't fight for the world, but he has his own reasons. In the text, it states, “Even if I fail I will have made a lasting name for myself’’ (181). In other words, Gilgamesh's motivation to slaughter Humbaba is not just to get rid of evil but to let his people remember him. Gilgamesh is being selfish because if he's dead, Uruk won't have a ruler, which means Uruk will be out of control. The choice Gilgamesh makes causes him not to care about Uruk but only himself. However, the encounter of Enkidu's death has turned Gilgamesh into another person. He couldn't confront the truth that Enkidu has died. Enkidu was more than a best friend to him, he was a brother whom he loved. Because of his love for Enkidu, Gilgamesh builds a statue so everyone in Uruk will remember him. This demonstrates Gilgamesh changing from selfish to selfless. This change is part of Gilgamesh's transformations towards becoming a hero. Gilgamesh changes as a result of Enkidu's death. According to the text, it states, “Gilgamesh interferes in the lives of his subjects beyond his right as king”(175). This proves that Gilgamesh was bothering and annoying the people of Uruk. Gilgamesh is going to become king soon and he shouldn’t disregard or interfere with his subject’s private life.
Although Gilgamesh starts out cruel he develops into a very kindhearted man. He is extremely supportive of Enkidu and encourages him in various situations. When the men are fighting Humbaba Gilgamesh says, ã[you] will surpass all of them... a fri...
The epic begins with Gilgamesh terrorizing the people of Uruk. They call out to the sky god Anu for help. In response Anu tells the goddess of creation, Aruru, to make an equal for Gilgamesh. Thus Aruru created Enkidu, a brute with the strength of dozens of wild animals. After being seduced by a harlot from the temple of love in Uruk, Enkidu loses his strength and wildness yet gains wisdom and understanding. The harlot offers to take him into Uruk where Gilgamesh lives, the only man worthy of Enkidu's friendship. After a brief brawl the two become devoted friends.