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Enkidu & Gilgamesh

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Enkidu & Gilgamesh
Enkidu and Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is about a Tyrant, Gilgamesh, who terrorized the people from his kingdom. Enkidu was created to save the people and become a companion to Gilgamesh. From the beginning, a clear and invisible bond is created. Gilgamesh and Enkidu are complete opposites that complement each other; one was an arrogant city dweller, the other a quintessential "Wildman" of the woods and plains. Gilgamesh civilizes Enkidu and Enkidu helps Gilgamesh transform into a perfect leader to his people by allowing him to better understand and identify with them. Through their friendship, Gilgamesh becomes less narcissistic and less lonesome. Gilgamesh was lonely, but did not know the extent of wanting a friend, until the moment he meets Enkidu and then loses him afterwards in the Epic. The turning point of The Epic of Gilgamesh occurs when Enkidu enters Gilgamesh’s life, and then the text takes another turn when Enkidu dies. Enkidu changed Gilgamesh’s life completely, without him, Gilgamesh would not have become a great leader and epic hero. Gilgamesh would not have changed without Enkidu because he did not see a problem with his leadership skills, he had never loved anyone more than himself, and he had not expected death to affect him on a personal level.
Gilgamesh would not have changed without Enkidu because Enkidu put a stop to how Gilgamesh treated his people. Gilgamesh was described as a tyrant. He had the divine right so he used it to his advantage to threaten his people. Because of the divine right, the kings of Gilgamesh’s time were basically free to do as they please, seeing nothing wrong with it because the gods gave them the power. Gilgamesh makes his people so miserable that the women are driven to the gods, praying and begging them to help the people of the town by stopping Gilgamesh’s awful acts. Gilgamesh continues growing harsher and harsher, not caring about what affect it has on his people. He was the most handsome man, the

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