Crespi 1

Marina Crespi Femenia

Dr. Fairfield

World Literature

April 28th, 2024

Literary Analysis Assignment

Gilgamesh and. Enkidu’s Friendship

From 1900 to 250 BCE, the epic of Gilgamesh was composed. One of the earliest pieces

of writing in human history, it is regarded as the pinnacle of classical literature. The stories about

him touch on a wide range of topics related to what it is to be human; they teach us about nature

and civilization, love and sexuality, violence and power, journey and reunion, death, and

friendships, and much more (p. 18). In this paper, I will delve more into the subject of friendship

and death, but first, I will give some more context for the story. Gilgamesh was described as the

priest-king of Uruk, a city-state in southern Mesopotamia. They estimate his reign to have begun

around 2700 BCE. He gained notoriety for building the city fortifications. According to the epic,

he is two-thirds divine and one-third human. Gilgamesh was not written by a single author

throughout a millennium but rather evolved gradually. It is estimated that the first Gilgamesh tale

first occurred in 2100 BCE. In addition to being a cunning and inspirational hero, the epic

Gilgamesh is a harsh and terrible monarch. Because of his cruelty, the Sumerian gods are angry

with him and have created the wild man Enkidu. Their friendship will cause the storyline to shift,

and even while it might be claimed that the story was enhanced overall, stories always have two

sides, thus this man will play a bigger role. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Gilgamesh

maintain their relationship despite their disagreements at times. Because it shows how
 Crespi 2

Gilgamesh and Enkidu are dependent on one another despite having quite different personalities,

their close connection is important to the plot. Both would not have grown into the individuals

they are after the novel without their relationship, and they both gained a great deal of

knowledge from one another that they would not have acquired otherwise. Throughout the story,

their strengths and weaknesses will help each other become better versions of themselves.

There were many differences between Enkidu and Gilgamesh, but first things first: let's

not forget Enkidu's past. We employ the word Enkidu in two ways: either as "Enki has created"

or as "lord of the reed marsh" (Ray 2016). He was a cross between a human and a wild beast. He

is reared by animals all of his life, having been born into the wild. Since he does not yet know

how to live in an urban culture, Gilgamesh tries to teach him in the story. "Enkidu a legendary

hero originally appearing in Sumerian literary compositions" (Ray 2016, page 2). He was made

by the god Anu, whose name means many things. After that, Gilgamesh battles Enkidu and wins,

and the two become friends. This is peculiar since Gilgamesh first treats Enkidu with deference.

Enkidu represents the natural landscape that the urbanized, civilized civilization both dreaded

and treasured. He used to be thought of as a loyal sidekick, even though he is much more than

just a sidekick. To Gilgamesh, he is like a brother. Gilgamesh's appearance suggested that he was

a mix of human and divine, appearing as two-thirds god and one-third human (p. 18). He was not

only a brilliant, shining hero but also a horrible emperor who was cruel, authoritarian, and

arrogant (p. 18). For this reason, the Sumerian gods created Enkidu, the wild man. After their

struggle, Gilgamesh decides to tame Enkidu, which leads to Enkidu's defeat. After they become

close friends, Gilgamesh asks Enkidu to go on his first great voyage (p. 19). In addition to having

a traveling companion, Gilgamesh cherishes his relationship with Enkidu because it has allowed

him to face numerous obstacles that he would not have otherwise been able to. One example of
 Crespi 3

this is the demise of Enkidu. Enkidu was the one chosen to die since Gilgamesh was the king and

they had to choose one of the two. After his death, Gilgamesh has three things to contend with

morality, accepting his companion's death, and his fear of dying.

As a result, the complex histories of both characters have influenced who they are and the

lessons they have learned. We may now concentrate a little bit more on their friendship. Even

though they frequently dispute, as I've already said, they are still close friends. Their friendship

will have a good impact on both men. Their differences will have shaped who they are by the

end of this epic drama. The two boys' contrasting pasts show what drastically different kinds of

individuals they are. Enkidu is a man of the wild; Gilgamesh is a hero. The epic depicts the two

as having a healthier friendship than a passionate one. Friendship is the main concept, but why is

it so important? Before meeting Enkidu, Gilgamesh has a reputation as a haughty commander

who doesn't respect anyone. Particularly when Enkidu wins their battle, he begins to show some

respect for him. Gilgamesh learns the limits of his existence from Enkidu. After Enkidu dies,

Gilgamesh comes to understand morality in his life. Their highly distinct personalities can be

explained by the fact that their lives and experiences were so dissimilar before they met. People

still maintain the concept, though, that despite their stark differences, they were nonetheless

reliant on one another to survive and gain the life lessons they required.

Meanwhile, some people believe that their friendship was neither sincere nor beneficial.

claiming they were too dissimilar to be pals. It could be argued that Enkidu was utilized by

Gilgamesh. Enkidu was the one forced to endure suffering. It was simple for Gilgamesh to offer

Enkidu's death in revenge for what they had done because he was superior to him and a king who

had suffered and had to die. Some people also argue that Enkidu was just designed to assist

Gilgamesh and reveal his shortcomings so he could make the necessary corrections. They had a
 Crespi 4

fantastic celebration when they won, but soon after, as they were both going to bed, Enkidu had

an odd dream that told him something. Enkidu receives a death warning in his dream (Brooks,

2019). The following day, he continues to feel worse and begins to regret visiting Uruk. He is

overcome with grief and anguish since he will never see his friend Gilgamesh again. Enkidu

might have been made to impart moral lessons to Gilgamesh because, although not dying, he

gains important insight from the experience.

Despite having distinct personalities, their friendship is deepened, which is a good thing

from my perspective. The similarities complement each other nicely. They are willing to help

each other and have complementary strengths. Enkidu gains survival skills in a foreign

environment, while Gilgamesh discovers self-acceptance. Both had to give up a part of

themselves to be friends. Enkidu abandons some of the morality he has learned, while Gilgamesh

acquires the capacity to treat people with kindness. It may be argued that their union was

intended. Together, they support each other's areas of weakness and help each other to grow in

their areas of strength. In conclusion, I agree with the notion that despite their stark contrasts,

they enhance each other's shortcomings and grow into more confident versions of themselves.

They are supposed to be buddies, and while they journey together, they help one another out by

learning new abilities. Even though I think Gilgamesh discovered the most crucial lesson

following the passing of his friend, Enkidu nevertheless leaves a lasting influence. It's a well-

known proverb that heroes are known for their actions. Even though Enkidu was created to aid

Gilgamesh, I think he is the real hero of the narrative, even if Gilgamesh was regarded as the

main character. Enkidu helped Gilgamesh grow as a person by showing him his shortcomings

and teaching him how to deal with the immorality of his environment. He even sacrificed his

own life for his pal. As mentioned earlier, real heroes are remembered for their deeds after they
 Crespi 5

are gone. Consequently, even though Gilgamesh is the protagonist of the tale. Given that they

were intended to be together and made major contributions to the plot, I believe they should both

be given the same credit. Without the friendship being woven throughout the story, I doubt such

a story would exist. Gilgamesh would not exist without Enkidu, and Enkidu would not exist

without Gilgamesh. Two radically different people can indeed have amazing friendships, and it's

because of these amazing friendships that we have amazing stories like the epic of Gilgamesh,

which highlights the value of friendships like Gilgamesh and Enkidu.

Works Cited
 Crespi 6

Brooks, Khendall. “The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Tale of Friendship.” Medium, Medium, 24 May

2019, medium.com/@chendallbrooks96/the-epic-of-gilgamesh-a-tale-of-friendship-

f8734f3c72c9.

“Enkidu.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.,

www.britannica.com/topic/Enkidu. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

LitCharts. “Friendship, Love, and Sexuality Theme Analysis.” LitCharts,

www.litcharts.com/lit/the-epic-of-gilgamesh/themes/friendship-love-and-sexuality. Ac-

cessed 27 Apr. 2024.

Puchner, Martin, and Suzanne Conklin Akbari. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. W.W.

Norton & Company, 2018.