Category: Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an important story that shows the transition of a mythical hero. Gilgamesh is a character who undergoes a significant change throughout the book, as his personal characteristics are called into question and he develops new norms with relationships with those around him. Throughout the epic, one can see some lessons being taught about the nature of friendship and the nature of leadership. Accordingly, one learns of legacy and how, even if one has a negative legacy in the beginning, he or she may be able to change that legacy if they are able to do enough of the hard things. For Gilgamesh, the beginning brought on a legacy of death and destruction. He was powerful, vain, and cruel, wanting to leave behind nothing but fear in his wake. Over time, though, this changes, and it is his friendship with Enkidu and the death of that friend that ultimately causes Gilgamesh to have a change of heart. He decides to dedicate himself to something new and to change his ways in a manner that provided him with more fulfillment. What this epic shows is that it is never too late for a person to change their legacy, but if one has a severely negative approach, then it can be difficult to do so. On top of that, the epic shows that good leaders are not people who are feared by those around them, but rather, are people who lead by example and are able to generate love and respect for their followers through proper means rather than just intimidation. Throughout the course of the epic, the fact that Gilgamesh is able to change his ways provides hope that even the worst possible leaders can have a change of heart and a change of strategy in order to do better.

At the beginning of the epic, Gilgamesh saw himself as a person and a leader who could not be touched. For example, the epic explains, “In Uruk-the-Sheepfold he walks [back and forth,] like a wild bull lording it, head held aloft, He has no equal when his weapons are brandished, his companions are kept on their feet by his contests” (Epic of Gilgamesh 3). This is the manner in which he saw himself, as a person who could not be defeated even while those around him would falter. This is a model of leadership that is self-serving and arrogant. One might even say that the model is the opposite of servant leadership. Autocratic leaders are those who think that they are above everyone else and that no one else can compare to their strengths. This does not motivate people, and this is something that Gilgamesh eventually had to think about and deal with. It is in this that he angers the people he is supposed to be leading, but it is also in this that Gilgamesh comes to realize his mistakes.

The transformation of Gilgamesh comes as a result of his friendship with Enkidu. Enkidu is created in order to give the leader an equal, but it becomes more than that. Gilgamesh comes to respect and loves Enkidu in a way that he has never known how to love before, and it comes to bother him deeply when Enkidu is not able to complete the journey with him. When Enkidu dies, this crushes Gilgamesh, and it causes him to want to have a different relationship with the people under his charge. After it all, he comes to want to live his life in such a way that it actually honors Enkidu. He wants to think about the legacy of his friend, and his friend would have wanted him to be softer, calmer, and kinder. In the beginning, this effort is a selfish one, too. He says at one point, “I shall die, and shall I not then be as Enkidu? Sorrow has entered my heart! I am afraid of death, so I wander the wild, to find Uta-napishti, son of Ubar-Tutu” (Epic of Gilgamesh 70). By this, he means that his brother’s spirit is immortal, and he wants to be that. This means that he is looking for some kind of fountain of immorality, like one of the Utnapishtim. Ultimately this is also foolish and reflects the fact that in the beginning, he did not make a full transition. However, as he began to look for a method toward that kind of immortal behavior, he comes to find something about himself. It was not just being immortal that was important to him. If he wanted to honor his friend, then he had to come to see the people around him like his friend would have. This meant that he needed to be a gentler person who was not indulging his every vice. It meant that he need not be the kind of person who is lured by sex and other distractions. Rather, he needed to find a sense of honor.

Over the course of the epic, he eventually comes to find that he had been wrong in how he viewed people and treated people. He came to see that being kind was a different sort of strength. He had viewed this in the past as being a weakness, but this was no longer the case moving forward, so he wanted to change his ways. Eventually, Gilgamesh finds that he cannot do it on his own, and he needs help. He says at the end of the epic, “O Ur-Hanabi, climb Uruk’s wall and walk back and forth! Survey its foundations, examine the brickwork! Were its bricks not fired in an oven? Did the Seven Sages not lay its foundations?” (Epic of Gilgamesh 99). At that moment, Gilgamesh thinks back on the leader he once was. He thinks about how cruel he was to his people and realizes that he needs to make a change. He wants to be a better leader for his people, in honor of Enkidu. He wants to be able to feed them and provide something rather than just being the kind of leader that dominates and takes. This is one of the ways in which he transforms himself as a leader. He stops being an autocrat in part because he sees that nothing good can come of it. Rather, he starts to be a kind of servant leader. This theory suggests that a leader should gain support and motivate his followers by getting out in front and serving them. It is a sort of leadership where a leader does not talk big or try to scare people but depends on the concept that if a leader is doing things for other people, then they will know their value and will want to do their best just the same. This is a miraculous transformation that ultimately shows that if one is motivated enough, they do not have to be bound by their old norms.

Ultimately the legacy that Gilgamesh has, in the end, is very different from the one he began with. He began leaving a legacy of a mean person who was to be feared above all else. He was not loved or appreciated, and in reality, he was not even respected by those around him. Of course, this all changes over time, as Gilgamesh comes to do something different with his life. He begins to become a kinder person and a stronger ruler than he once was. Instead of being harsh, he began to show compassion for his people. He is then seen as a person who cared deeply for his friend and began to want the best for the people under his charge. This became his enduring legacy, as well as the capacity to make hard changes, which was not a small thing, either.

The Epic of Gilgamesh depends on the lord of Uruk in early Mesopotamia which is Gilgamesh, and what he experiences all through his adventure in the tablet. Gilgamesh referred to his kin as the miscreant. He assaults the ladies of his city just as powers the youngsters to war. He is an extremely egotistical lord who just thinks about himself. Along these lines, Enkidu was made to get to his level and lower himself. In the lyric, we notice a critical change in Gilgamesh as far back as he experiences Enkidu. Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s fellowship is significant all through the entire sonnet since it formed who the characters were and who they would turn into.

As expressed, Enkidu the wild man was made to humble Gilgamesh by the Goddess Aruru. For what reason was he made you may ask, ”You made him… presently make his equivalent; let it be as like him as his own appearance, his subsequent self, stormy heart for stormy heart” (Gilgamesh 14) With Enkidu’s motivation, there have been numerous contentions on how he might be Gilgamesh’s equivalent because of the way that he was made by water, mud and made a man of the wild. Gilgamesh was known to challenge the Gods because of the reality he was 66% of a God. Making Enkidu helped lead Gilgamesh in an alternate way which lead to his voyage. The contrasts between Gilgamesh would make the two bond at last.

What is companionship? Characterized from multiple points of view however the most widely recognized definition is feelings or lead of companions; the condition of being companions. Be that as it may, too numerous it is far more than that. A few companionships travel every which way but then some are made to keep going forever. The two’s first experience was a battle and they began as adversaries. When they outperform the contempt towards each other it appears to a greater extent a more grounded relationship at last. Enkidu shows Gilgamesh that he thinks about him in one manner by doing whatever it takes not to battle the superb beast who was a too-hazardous beast in the Cedar Forest would be called. Humbaba. ‘Humbaba is the watchman of the backwoods of cedars,'(T.5.65) The older folks needed to persuade Enkidu to support Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh shows his warmth when the Bull of Heaven descends and slaughters Enkidu, he grieves however one might say doesn’t generally lament since he is centered around his very own self kicking the bucket. This reminds us how narcissistic Gilgamesh is and isn’t equivalent without Enkidu. ‘Enkidu will ensure his companion, monitor protect his friend,’ (Gilgamesh T3.10.) Some individuals are placed into our lives for the better just to shape us into constructive individuals whether the moves that were made were negative or positive. As the well-known saying would state, ‘You live, and you learn.’

There have likewise been numerous doubts of Gilgamesh and Enkidu was in a sentimental relationship because of how one acted toward another and with individuals. Before Gilgamesh had met Enkidu, he adored him;’ (Gilgamesh 16) During the hour of the sonnet rarely have sexual relations with similar sex. From returning to Gilgamesh grieving to him beforehand dismissing a lady’s advances included the doubts. Ishtar who was the lady who made the lewd gestures would be a test for Gilgamesh to see where his sentiments were all through the lyric. In any case, we additionally need to recollect in the start of the ballad Gilgamesh utilizes his capacity for shrewdness and assaults the ladies of Uruk. This makes us question whether the doubts were right, their kinship was not what it appeared, or the two sides of the contention were right. Such a significant number of inquiries however the one genuine answer we know is that the two had affection for each other.

This takes us back to the possibility of Gilgamesh’s kinship with Enkidu making a bond with untamed life, people, and God across the board. They make the three exist together and bode well all through the lyric and it improves their fellowship with each other and makes a relationship through fraternity also. Probably the greatest flash of their relationship was when Ninsun, the wild cow and who is additionally Gilgamesh’s mom receives Enkidu as her own. A parent-kid relationship is a higher priority than any fellowship. Your folks perceive individuals before you do. ‘I herewith take Enkidu, as my received child, may Gilgamesh treat him well.’ (T3.94-95) The minute Enkidu was embraced caused it to appear as though this was simply one more route for him to have the option to associate and bond with Gilgamesh. Practically like another motivation to keep them together. At the point when you have somebody, who was made for you to be capable for you to succeed it should make life somewhat simpler.

The goals of kinship have changed such a great amount since the beginning we can characterize it from various perspectives. Gilgamesh and Enkidu give us a point of view on how we improved just as the qualities that some are missing at this point. Dedication, love, and trust are a couple of the things you see all throughout the sonnet. Without Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the ballad would be totally extraordinary and most like would have finished contrastingly in light of the fact that they make the story. Their companionship is one of the primary topics. This fellowship is a prime case of somebody being lost without the other. We as a whole have in any event one companion that makes us a superior individuals. Enkidu was that individual for Gilgamesh. There is a noteworthy change in Gilgamesh from being an egotistical lord who does anything he desires to a minding sibling/companion who at long last thinks about somebody other than himself. If not for Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s voyage would have been way more awful, and he would have kept on tormenting the individuals who are under him just as trying crafted by God. This companionship formed a lot more to come consistently and in different tablets also.

The Epic of Gilgamesh renditioned by Danny P. Jackson depicts the search of a king for immortality and discovering the meaning of life. Gilgamesh, the king of the city of Uruk, two-thirds god, one-third human, believes he is a god-like figure and the only one who can lead the city of Uruk. In doing so, believes he can have his way with any woman in the city, and thus the people of the city were enraged. The people went to the gods in order to find a solution to the madness that Gilgamesh was creating. The solution the gods put forth was to create Enkidu, a man two-thirds beast, one-third human. Enkidu was created in an effort to put an end to Gilgamesh’s life and his reign in the city of Uruk. In doing so, the gods had no idea that instead of ending Gilgamesh’s life, they would then give his life new meaning.

Enkidu was sent to Uruk to fight Gilgamesh at the wishes of the gods that the people of Uruk prayed to. The fight had resulted in a friendship that no one in the city had seen coming. Gilgamesh and Enkidu had just enough similarities to keep them close, and enough differences to keep each other sane. One likeness they had with one another is that they were both somewhere between a god and a human. Being one-third human meant that both lacked the quality of morality, and thus were not invincible like the gods who created Enkidu, and like the gods that Gilgamesh wanted to be and thought that he was. Another similarity was that they had godlike qualities and they were both extremely strong. This was shown when they decided they would take down Humbaba, a demon who exists to protect the forest of mortals (). No one would have thought to take on this task, but both Gilgamesh and Enkidu wanted their names to live on forever, as well as thinking they were doing what the gods desired. These similarities allowed their friendship to flourish as their similar qualities would push each other.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu also showed many differences, both before they were friends and while they were friends. Gilgamesh is two-thirds god, while Enkidu was a two-thirds beast. This may have created the difference in how each treated women and nature. Gilgamesh thought of himself as a god and showed it by the way he treated the people of the city and had his way with women. Since Enkidu was part animal, he respected nature, and thus had different morals than Gilgamesh. Enkidu respected normal moral ethics while Gilgamesh was drawn to lust, wealth, and mortality. This shows how different the personalities of Gilgamesh and Enkidu are, but how it may make them great friends, as opposites create different thought processes, just like relationships in real life. Another key difference between the two characters is that Enkidu can interpret Gilgamesh’s dreams, while Gilgamesh can’t. This keeps Enkidu as an important part of the story in a couple of different ways. Enkidu interpreting Gilgamesh’s dreams kept Gilgamesh sane, as he would wake up from the dreams second-guessing himself and their plan to kill Humbaba. Enkidu would ensure Gilgamesh that the dreams are all a good thing and that they are an omen that their quest will be rewarded (). The interpreting of the dreams also allowed Enkidu to be more of a brotherly family-like figure to Gilgamesh, as it would soothe his mind that everything would be okay. Without this quality, Enkidu would only be in the story for his strength to try to defeat Gilgamesh at first, and then to help defeat Humbaba and wouldn’t get the same attention as Gilgamesh.

In real life, no two people can be the same, yet they can still be great friends. Most times, the differences between people are what strengthen a friendship as different perspectives may keep you from trouble. The similarities and differences between Gilgamesh and Enkidu are no different and help push the narrative forward as well as enhance their friendship. Any weaknesses that Gilgamesh had were filled by Enkidu’s strengths, and any weaknesses Enkidu had were then upheld by Gilgamesh’s strengths. This was seen when they sought out Humbaba. Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu are very strong, even to the point where Enkidu thought he was stronger than Gilgamesh. Even though they were both strong, Enkidu had second thoughts about fighting Humbaba, while Gilgamesh never had any fear as that’s how he has lived his life. Ultimately, they killed Humbaba but having someone who may think of a situation differently than how you do such as Enkidu did may strengthen the relationship by making sure that decisions that are made are in the best interest. The most important part of their friendship was Gilgamesh seeing Enkidu die. Gilgamesh then knew he wanted to be different from Enkidu in one way, being immortal. This pushes the narrative forward as Gilgamesh then goes through a long voyage to seek out how to become immortal. The voyage creates the moral of the story, as Gilgamesh went through many hardships in search of immortality, only to come up empty-handed in the end. The moral of the story that Gilgamesh learned is that death is inevitable for those who have human traits, such as himself and Enkidu. The differences between himself and Enkidu wore off on Gilgamesh, as when he returned to Uruk he treated his people differently than he had before and became a well-liked and respected king to his people (). Had Gilgamesh never found a bond with Enkidu, he may have never found that he is not god-like and immortal like he thought, and thus never changed the way he treated the people of Uruk. It can be shown that everyone needs a friend who has opposing qualities in order to keep each other in check.