Compare and contrast King Gilgamesh with Enkidu - Essay Example

Actually, it was to foil Gilgamesh that the gods created Enkidu, purposely to bring balance to the city of Uruk, which Gilgamesh’s abuse of power terrorizes. Thus Enkidu becomes Gilgamesh other self – a reflection of his weakness, as Enkidu made him painfully realize his inherent limitation as a human – his mortality, which drove him to seek eternal life. This, according to Davis (2000) is the underlying question in the epic: “Why have the gods withheld eternal life from humanity?” (p. 70). “Gilgamesh, where are you wandering?

The life that you are seeking all around you will not find. When the gods created mankind they fixed Death for mankind, and held back Life in their own hands.” (Kovacks, 1989, p. 85) And it was in his search for eternal life, as he challenges death, that the answer to this question is revealed. The gods denied humanity of eternal life, because what makes human life precious, thus meaningful is no other than death. After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh desire to escape of death gave him the reason to live.

It is also his fear of death that transformed Gilgamesh from a ruthless ruler to a responsible one, by which he left behind a legacy that outlived him. As Brown (1996) explained, “without death [Gilgamesh’s] life would be meaningless, and the adventures that make up the epic would disappear. In celebrating Gilgamesh… we celebrate that which makes us human.” (para. 6) On the other hand, Gilgamesh is Enkidu’s strength, since with the elders entrusting Gilgamesh to his care implies recognition of Gilgamesh’s weakness of the wilderness.

As such, serving Gilgamesh has given Enkidu his worth. Gilgamesh, do not put your trust in (just) your vast strength, but keep a sharp eye out, make each blow strike its mark! 'The one who goes on ahead saves the comrade.'1 'The one who knows the route protects his friend.' Let Enkidu go ahead of you; he knows the road to the Cedar Forest, he has seen fighting, has experienced battle. Enkidu will protect the friend, will keep the comrade safe. Let his body urge him back to the wives (?). (Kovacks, 1989, p. 25) Gilgamesh and Enkidu although sharply different are very much alike.

If Gilgamesh is a civilized man born two-thirds god and one-third human in the city of Uruk, yet acts uncivilly and inhumanely, killing the sons and raping the daughters of his people, on the other hand, Enkidu is a primitive man born akin to a wild beast, yet acts with compassion with the beasts whom he grew with, protecting them from trappers and freeing them whenever trapped (Kovacks, 1989, pp. 4, xix). Such difference portrays the contrast between the civilized and the primitive. That civilization, as Brown (1996) noted, transforms the primitive man with no return, corrupting his innocence and weakening him, yet giving him wisdom to see life beyond the wilderness (para. 9-10) allowing him to grow and enjoy the luxuries that civilization could offer to life like wine, women, and comfort.

Though born and raised differently, both similarly possess super-human physical strengths that made them both feared: Gilgamesh by his people and Enkidu by the trapper. Thus both are to be tamed: Gilgamesh by the people of Uruk to live peacefully, whereas, Enkidu by the tra