Gilgamesh EpicGilgamesh is an epic that has been passed down for thousands of years. The epicnarrates the legendary deeds of the main character Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh istwo-thirds immortal and one-third mortal; however, he cannot accept his fatethat one day he too will die.
The entire epic tells the story of Gilgamesh’slife and searche for immortality. Through his many trials and tribulations,Gilgamesh proves that he has great physical strength. However, throughout theepic Gilgamesh also shows he is emotionally unstable and immature. The authorcreated Gilgamesh with this flaw of immaturity so that he would be a morebelievable character. The depth of Gilgamesh’s physical strength first appearsto the reader in the prologue.
Gilgamesh is said to be “the man to whom allthings are known”. The gods created him with great care giving him beautyand courage. “The great gods made his beauty perfect, surpassing allothers, terrifying like a great wild bull”. Furthermore, his beauty andpower were like that of no other man.
The story begins by stating that Gilgameshis an overbearing king. He never sleeps due to his over indulgence in life. Gilgamesh keeps the city in disruption involving anyone he pleases in hiscorrupt demands. He sleeps with all the virgins before they are married,therefore, making them impure before their husbands have a chance to sleep withthem. If Gilgamesh were a mature king, he would see no reason to show he is themost powerful. He would lead his people with only good intentions and rule theland justly.
Even though Gilgamesh demonstrates great physical strength indefeating Humbaba and by killing the Bull of Heaven, his emotional strength isput to the test when Enkidu, his companion, dies. Gilgamesh wants everyone andeverything to mourn his death. He could not accept Enkidu’s death. “Sevendays and seven nights he wept for Enkidu, until the worm fastened on him”. His irrational actions prove Gilgamesh is emotionally unstable and immature. Another example of Gilgamesh’s immaturity is his infatuation with immortality.
He abandons his normal way of life, leaves Uruk, and begins a new life as a huntFinally and most importantly, the main reason that Gilgamesh changes from thebeginning of the book is the friendship that he has with Enkidu. Enkidu is madeto make Gilgamesh more human. In the first paragraph of the book the gods areangry with Gilgamesh and send down an equal of himself, they send down Enkidu. After becoming friends, Gilgamesh changes because he has an equal to be with. Enkidu and Gilgamesh become as close as brothers. Because of this, a veryarguable point comes up.
Was Enkidu and Gilgamesh lovers? The answer isobviously yes. What points in the book show this? They go to sleep holdinghands, Gilgamesh loves Enkidu like a women, and Gilgamesh goes almost insaneafter the death of Enkidu. The point of Enkidu being a lover of Gilgamesh isvery important. It allows the reader to understand the reasoning of Gilgameshchanging.
There are no changes in Gilgamesh as a person until Enkidu enters thepicture. Obviously he is the reason for all eventual changes in the personality.
