Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper

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By Ari Berman

The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is the story of a superhuman who

is almost a God who originally

engages in a power struggle with another superhuman but

the relationship eventually evolves

into one of friendship. The relationship between

Gilgamesh and Enkidu is one that subtly converts itself

from hostility to friendship through experiences that

help to forge a strong alliance between a God and a

human. The following paper, will explore the dynamics of

this interesting relationship between a mortal and an

immortal.

Over the ancient city of Erech there ruled a mighty

prince who was two thirds god and

man- third man, whose name was Gilgamesh. Of all the

heroes, he was the greatest. But he

was a lusty man, and caused considerable worry to local

fathers and mothers and husbands

because he would carry off any woman who took his fancy.

So the inhabitants of the city

complained to the gods and begged them to create a man

who would fight with Gilgamesh, so

that he would leave Erech in peace.

The gods created a weird creature, Enkidu, whose body

was all covered with hair. He

took up his abode in the desert just beyond the city,

and became a close friend of the beasts. He

was always saving them from the traps set by hunters,

but his strength was so great that it would

have taken an army to conquer him. Then Gilgamesh

suggested a much simpler expedient: he

said that they should send a gorgeous harlot to Enkidu,

let her remove her robe, and then see

what would result.

The harlot went out and took her post by the well. When

Enkidu approached to draw

water, she let her garment fall off her shoulders down

to her waist. The sight of her exquisite

breasts roused such a passion in Enkidu that he lay with

her then and there. When it was over,

however, and he tried to return to his flock, none of

the beasts would have anything to do

with him, for he had lost his innocence. So he went back

to the harlot and told her he had no

one but her. The harlot invited him to come into the

city and discover the great Gilgamesh.

Thus the mighty strong man was led into Erech meekly, by

a woman.

Meanwhile, back in the palace, Gilgamesh had a terrible

dream that a mighty man had

come. At first the man had overpowered him, but in the

end, Gilgamesh had laid him at his

feet. His mother, Ninsun, reassured her son that the

dream was a good omen. Enkidu at this point, decided to

become the friend of Gilgamesh.

The friendship of Enkidu and Gilgamesh was forged by the

realization that they had

common interests and common goals. The fact that

Gilgamesh was almost a God and Enkidu

was a mortal creature, became less and less relevant as

they realized that by working together,

they could accomplish more than if they engaged in a

power struggle.

Enkidu was invited to live in the palace and was treated

royally. Sometime later, however, he, too, had a dream.

A mysterious creature with claws like an eagle had

carried him off above the clouds and thrown him into the

underworld. When day broke he rushed to tell Gilgamesh.

The latter made a special sacrifice to the god, Shamash,

filling a pot made of jet with honey

and a lapis- lazuli pot with butter. So the god appeared

to Gilgamesh and told him he must fight Khumbaba the

Strong. He was king of Cedar Mountain.

Gilgamesh was ready to set out on the expedition at

once, but his mother and the

inhabitants of Erech tried to restrain him, pointing out

all the perils of such a trip. Even Enkidu

was not at all anxious to go along. But Gilgamesh

refused to listen to any advice and set out

for Cedar Mountain. After a lengthy journey, the heroes

arrived at the domain of Khumbaba.

The forest of cedar was thick and dark. Again Enkidu

tried to persuade Gilgamesh not to go

in, but the prince paid no attention.

In the forest was a sanctuary of Ishtar, and many paths

led off in all directions to

places of secret delight. But Gilgamesh took the path

which led to the enclosure of Khumbaba s

palace. The hero called aloud a challenge to the savage

guardian of the forest, but there was no

answer. He made an offering to Shamash and then prepared

to go to battle. The god must have

heard him, for he let loose the elements against

Khumbaba, and Khumbaba was slain by

Gilgamesh.

The hero purified himself after his incredible feat and

put his crown on again. As he was

passing by the precinct of the goddess of sexual

delight, she spoke to him, begging him to be her

lover. But Gilgamesh repulsed her, knowing well how many

of her lovers ended up dead when she no longer was

interested in them. The goddess was incensed that he

should dare to refuse her and begged her father Anu to

punish him. A mad bull attacked the hero, but just as it

was about to overthrow him, Enkidu grabbed the beast by

the tail and tore it to pieces.

By the end of the epic, Enkidu became very ill and ended

up dying. Enkidu s death

frightened Gilgamesh and he begged the gods for

immortality. Gilgamesh found Uta-Napishtim

to whom the gods had granted immortality. He, too, tried

to reason with Gilgamesh. Utanapishtim told him the

following: “We do not make houses that last forever, nor

does the river go on rising.

The fates determine when life and death will come.” Then

Utanapishtim suggested that if

Gilgamesh wanted to taste immortality, he should not go

to sleep for six days and seven

nights. Unfortunately, Gilgamesh was unsuccessful and

his search for immortality came to a

crashing halt.

In conclusion, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the story of a

genuine friendship between a God

and a mortal creature. Gilgamesh and Enkidu became

friends after realizing that their similarities

outweighed their differences. Their alliance became so

strong that they ended up fighting and

dying together.

The Epic of Gilgamesh teaches that the search for

immortality has been an eternal one.

Gilgamesh wants to be immortal and he is crushed when he

realizes that he will die the same way that his best

friend, Enkidu died. In essence, Enkidu s death is the

reminder to Gilgamesh that friendship is the most

important aspect of life since life is so short to begin

with. Enkidu s death brings an end to one of the most

remarkable alliances in the annals of Western literature

or any literature for that matter.

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