Gilgamesh portrays his loyalty and his devotion as a friend when he tries to do the impossible just so he would make meaning out of his Enkidu's death. Enkidu is a mirror for Gilgamesh, and the pain at his death teaches him that he himself must die eventually. (1.194-204) Enkidu's desire for a friend is an important stage in his transition from the wild-man life to ordinary human life. It is obvious that Gilgamesh’s desperate quest for eternal life comes after the realization that he is just like Enkidu and that means he is going to die as well in the same way: “I am going to die!–am I not like Enkidu?!(IX.2). Their relationship has a great meaning as Enkidu managed to change and transform Gilgamesh’s character in such a way that the latter was deeply mournful when Enkidu dies – something which would never have happened to him before (Tigay). The Epic of Gilgamesh. He had it all. 121 (4). The two friends go together to confront death and to gain immortality through fame: “It is I who will establish fame for eternity!”(II. Their relationship proven when Enkidu goes along with Gilgamesh to kill Humbaba, he vowed that he would be there when Gilgamesh needed his help. 100. the goddess Gilgamesh and Enkidu ask for a blessing before their journey. 14) The common lamentation of the two friends suggests that they find life meaningless if there are not together. The sexual undertones of the relationship between the two are also very important. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. In the context of the symbolic meanings of the text, the relationship between the two friends, Gilgamesh and Enkidu is very important. Enkidu was essentially created by the gods to be Gilgamesh’s soulmate. Lacking Gilgamesh’s arrogance, pride, Enkidu was tough and strong – a man of the jungle (Abusch). In the text their relationship is explicitly compared to a man’s love for a woman. 100. who is queen of the netherworld. Much more than a sidekick or a servant, he is Gilgamesh’s soul mate, brother, and equal, even his conscience. All through the ages, humans have treasured friendship since it determines our survival in this world. Gilgamesh had a very good relationship with the gods, for starters they made him as strong and beautiful as any other man before him. The last quest of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Heroic Life. Two bodies. Hairy-chested and brawny, Enkidu begins his literary life as Gilgamesh’s faithful sidekick. A quote from Elie Wiesel reads, “ friendship marks a life even more deeply than love. Thus, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is at the same time an example of human friendship and communion, and a symbol of the fact that all human life has the same destiny. This speaks to a different view of a prostitute in Gilgamesh’s time. They meet, they fight and grow to become real friends. Montreal, Quebec Plattsburgh, N.Y: Tundra Books Tundra Books of Northern New York. The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. What Does the Relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu Tell Us about Friendship? The journey of initiation that Gilgamesh and Enkidu make to kill the giant Humbaba that guards the Cedar Forest is also very significant. Why do you think that is? I don’t think they have neither a homosexual relationship nor anything far beyond than friendship because people didn’t have the same mentality before as they do now. Both men, who are equally strong, feel the need to unite their strengths and weaknesses, their courage and fear; they are growing together emotionally and physically, making a perfect team. Enkidu helps put Gilgamesh’s power into balance. 2011. your own paper. 200. who is the guardian of … Do you think the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu shades just a bit into something more romantic? In the current society, human relationship is essential for helping one another in times of … Read More. A Dearest Companion. (2016, Dec 17). Print. Is their love of a sexual nature or a more platonic one? Comment on Gilgamesh and Enkidu's relationship. The Great Mother made him nothing like his brother. Journal of the American Oriental Society. Shamhat’s power civilizes and tames Enkidu to prepare him for his journey to Uruk and ultimately to Gilgamesh. Thus, the husband and wife union that seems to unite the two men, indicates that they are together in much more than friendly relationship. Ninsun. First of all, Enkidu was sent to Gilgamesh by the gods so as he might have a companion, an equal in strength and heroism. This fact already hints that that Enkidu is more like a second self for Gilgamesh rather than a mere companion, as the gods have created someone who is as similar as possible to him: “How the youth resembles Gilgamesh–/tall in stature, towering up to the battlements over the wall…”(II. Prior to the union of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, King Gilgamesh was a man of raw and unrestrained power. However, it is obvious that their relation means more than just human friendship and love. They meet, they fight, they acknowledge each other, befriend each other. death. Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this website. Stanford: Stanford University Press. "You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy", Don't use plagiarized sources. Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third human and he is the king of Uruk. Love either in erotic or … Fundamentally, Enkidu and Gilgamesh show us the grace which is to have a relationship with that other in the world who is most like ourselves – the one of our same Sex – and yet comes in another flesh, sometimes not even sharing the same physical, mental or emotional attributes. After all, can it really be coincidence that Enkidu … 46) Thus, the outburst of pain that that Gilgamesh has is clearly justified by the strong relationship that unites them. Enkidu is thus more than a brother and a friend for Gilgamesh; he is an actual mirror for him, a second self and Gilgamesh sees his own fate as a human being in him. Kovacs, M. G. tr. In fact, Enkidu is sent into the world precisely as a companion for Gilgamesh and a means of stopping him from his sexual adventures with the women in Uruk. when they wrestle. The text describes them as being very close. For when the gods created man, they let death be his share, and life … Can confirm there are a LOT of homoerotic undertones to the story. Wolff H.N. This makes Gilgamesh half-blood of divine birth. 100. after Enkidu dies, what is Gilgamesh afraid of. Their first meeting was that of great soulmates, the pattern of which was carefully used in all later literature readings. There are many important indications of the other meaning of their relationship. First of all, their friendship seems to be an epitome for human relationships and brotherhood: Gilgamesh and Enkidu are at the same time friends, brothers, comrades in their heroic feats, and almost lovers in the feelings they have for each other. Print. As those legends evolved into chapters of a great epic poem, Enkidu’s role changed profoundly. In the text Gilgamesh says: “Dear friend, dear brother. All through the ages, humans have treasured friendship since it determines our survival in this world. 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