The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a third person journey about a man’s change from bad to good because of a character named Enkidu. Gilgamesh starts out a mean spirited, bitter, tyrant-like man and turns to a good humble like hero. Throughout the story different experiences and journeys lead Gilgamesh to this ending. On page 99, lines 2-50 Gilgamesh comes off as a cocky and selfish young king. In a way Gilgamesh cannot help but to be the selfish king that he is because, he came into this personality due to his upbringing and surroundings and his overall being. Gilgamesh is the handsomest, strongest, and most powerful man in the world. He also is two thirds god and his father was the king before him.
On more than one occasion, he forces sex from women. On page 101 lines 77-78 it says “Gilgamesh leaves no girl to her mother”. Gilgamesh doesn’t only do this because he thinks that he can get whatever he wants from anyone but to also show that he is above everyone and anything, even a man and his virgin bride. Gilgamesh takes the virginity of these girls simply to prove this point. Gilgamesh also has his building and endeavors completed through forced labor. This shows that Gilgamesh doesn’t play favoritism when it comes to who he exploits; he equally demises warriors, the nobles, and the servants as equally beneath him.
It is not until he meets Enkidu that he gets a glimpse of true bonding. For the first time in Gilgamesh’s life he experiences love and companionship. Yes, Gilgamesh did have female interactions but it was never actual love. The friendship that Gilgamesh had with Enkidu helped him gain the feeling of love and was the first step to him being molded into a better person. He doesn’t feel the love automatically and definitely doesn’t feel it in its entirety until after Enkidu passes. In the epic Enkidu played the role of Gilgamesh’s faithful sidekick and unknowingly showed Gilgamesh traits that he subliminally wanted to see in him. A trait that is used in the
On more than one occasion, he forces sex from women. On page 101 lines 77-78 it says “Gilgamesh leaves no girl to her mother”. Gilgamesh doesn’t only do this because he thinks that he can get whatever he wants from anyone but to also show that he is above everyone and anything, even a man and his virgin bride. Gilgamesh takes the virginity of these girls simply to prove this point. Gilgamesh also has his building and endeavors completed through forced labor. This shows that Gilgamesh doesn’t play favoritism when it comes to who he exploits; he equally demises warriors, the nobles, and the servants as equally beneath him.
It is not until he meets Enkidu that he gets a glimpse of true bonding. For the first time in Gilgamesh’s life he experiences love and companionship. Yes, Gilgamesh did have female interactions but it was never actual love. The friendship that Gilgamesh had with Enkidu helped him gain the feeling of love and was the first step to him being molded into a better person. He doesn’t feel the love automatically and definitely doesn’t feel it in its entirety until after Enkidu passes. In the epic Enkidu played the role of Gilgamesh’s faithful sidekick and unknowingly showed Gilgamesh traits that he subliminally wanted to see in him. A trait that is used in the