Gilgamesh’s Journey

Gilgamesh’s Journey

Over the course of the poem Gilgamesh: A New English Version translated by Stephan Mitchell, we get to know the character Gilgamesh and watch him grow after meeting Enkidu. Enkidu was created by the goddess Aruru, after hearing the pleas of the people of Uruk. The people of Uruk, were ruled by Gilgamesh who was a ferocious warrior but was arrogant and self-serving. Gilgamesh had no respect for women, took children away from their families and engaged in unnecessary battles. When Gilgamesh meets Enkidu, they get physically violent with one another, but Gilgamesh overpowers Enkidu. Then, Enkidu said nice words to Gilgamesh, letting him know he agreed that he was king, which seemed to calm him “They embraced and kissed. They held hands like brothers.”(page 90) I believe it was Enkidu’s kindness that showed Gilgamesh how to be more human-like.

In Book III Gilgamesh convinces Enkidu, much to his disagreement, to go with him on a journey to defeat and kill Humbaba, the terrifying creature that guards the Cedar Forest. Gilgamesh was seeking the title of killing such a powerful creature, so that everyone would know his name. On page 94 Gilgamesh states “I will cut down the tree, I will make a lasting name for myself, I will stamp my fame on men’s minds forever.” This statement clearly shows the arrogance that Gilgamesh has, he knows how difficult the task may be to kill Humbaba but his cockiness prevails. He is convinced that if he kills Humbaba, everyone will see him as an even greater warrior and king. When Gilgamesh meets Humbaba face to face, he feels nervous and scared, it takes Enkidu’s encouragement to give him the bravery to slaughter Humbaba, which led me to believe that he depended on Enkidu’s belief in him to be able to gain strength to kill this beast. Before Humbaba dies, he curses them both, wishing death upon Enkidu and for Gilgamesh to be inconsolable and crushed with grief. (Page 127-128)

In book the goddess Ishtar sees Gilgamesh and immediately falls in love with him. She feels sexually attracted to him and wanted Gilgamesh to marry her. Unfortunately Gilgamesh turned her down because he didn’t feel confident in knowing that she has destroyed all her previous lovers. I feel as if Enkidu took away the arrogant confidence that Gilgamesh once had, for him to turn down a lover was shocking to me considering he slept with many women and had no respect towards women. He started shouting derogatory things towards her and this angered Ishtar, which led her to want revenge. As we see later on, the Bull of Heaven is killed and this angered the gods, as punishment they decide that Enkidu must die. This is when we really see the change in Gilgamesh. He cries out that he doesn’t understand why his friend must die when he was the one who wanted to kill Humbaba and spoke impolitely to Ishtar, it shows that he was able to take responsibility for his actions and that his friend is more important to him than his own life.

Gilgamesh stays by Enkidu’s side while he dies and is extremely effected by his death. After he dies, Gilgamesh is in extreme mourning, on page 152-153 he says “my beloved friend is dead, he is dead, my beloved brother is dead, I will mourn as long as I breathe, I will sob for him like a woman who has lost her only child.” We see emotion from him because he doesn’t understand how his friend could leave him and this starts to inflict fear upon him about his future and dealing the knowledge that he will die too one day.