Enkidu's Fear Of Death In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

“In The Epic of Gilgamesh” Gilgamesh initially didn’t fear anything or anyone because he had power and he ruled the city of Urk. Unfortunately, the gods became livid with Gilgamesh behavior so they created someone that was very identical to him. Gilgamesh formed a connection with Enkidu, but unfortunately the friendship did not last long because Enkidu was killed. Gilgamesh became so scared of death that he decided to go on a journey for Utanapishtim because he had all the answer he was looking for to help him. “In The Epic of Gilgamesh” Gilgamesh’s goes on a journey for a way to achieve immortal life because he is terrified of death and he never wants to be forgotten about.

Gilgamesh let it be known that he was not scared of anyone. The

So “At his third snort a huge pit opened up, and Enkidu fell in up to the waist” (Tablet, 6 lines 110-111). Enkidu was created to get Gilgamesh to see his ways of how he was hurting the city of Urk. Gilgamesh knew he could not beat him so he joined him on his journey. While upon their journey, Enkidu told the elders to tell Gilgamesh not to enter Cedar Trees or bad things would happen to him but he did not listen at all so someone had to suffer the consequences. And Enkidu died because of Gilgamesh foolish actions. Gilgamesh felt that he was not as brave as Enkidu, but Gilgamesh said “I am going to die! --- am I not like Enkidu?!” (Tablet, 9 line 2). He felt like he needed to find a way to be immortal because his friend being killed made him scared of death so Gilgamesh said “I will set out to the region of Utanapishtim, son of Ubartutu, and will go with utmost dispatch” (Tablet 9, lines

Utanapishtim wife seen that Gilgamesh had made his way back to them and he was drained so she made her husband tell Gilgamesh a secret. “There is a plant like a boxthorn, whose thorns will prick your hand like a rose. If your hands reach the plant you will become a young man again” (Tablet, 11 lines 274-276). With this plant, Gilgamesh would have been a young man again but he did not want to try it on himself first instead wanted to let an old man in his city eat and try it. “A snake smelled the fragrance of the plant, silently came up and carried off the plant. While going back it sloughed off its casing” (Tablet, 11 lines 294-296). Therefore, Gilgamesh lost the plant and he was depressed, he had to get the strength to go back to his city empty handed after making the mistake by putting the plant on the ground because he did not know the