Enkidu And Gilgamesh Relationship Essay

In Herbert Mason’s Gilgamesh, the two main characters, Gilgamesh and Enkidu have the ultimate friendship. They perfectly embody the stereotype ‘opposites attract’, and they have an invincible relationship because of that. Gilgamesh and Enkidu both have their own unique, backgrounds that tie them together and allows them to be the archetypal duo in battle. Gilgamesh is a perfect example of what someone from his society should have been at the time. He was the “highest product of civilized society.” He was a king who only ate the finest food and drank the most divine beverages. On the other hand, Enkidu represents the natural man, or the “basic attributes of the natural world.” He is extremely strong, formed from clay, and never encountered the opposite sex until Gilgamesh sent him a courtesan to civilize him and teach him the ways of mankind (Looper).
It could be said that Gilgamesh should not have made friends with such a lowly monster, but Gilgamesh knew that he needed Enkidu. Neither of them cared about social status; they only knew they had to depend on each other. This intense level of friendship results in complete trust, dependence, and support; invincible qualities. In the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh is announcing his plan to fight and kill Humbaba. Enkidu had lots of experience with monsters during his early years, and he was visibly upset about Gilgamesh wanting to complete this task. “Enkidu could not speak. He held his tears/Back. Barely audibly he said:/It is a road which you have never traveled” (Mason, lines 48-50). This quotation reveals the emotional connection between these two characters. Enkidu trusted that Gilgamesh was smart and strong enough, but he was afraid of the journey to get there. He wanted to protect Gilgamesh from seeing the horrible things he had seen in the forest all those years ago, but Enkidu also trusted Gilgamesh enough to go, fight with him, and put his own life at