Monroe 1
Molly Monroe
Mrs. Lamp
AP
15 August 2013
Theme: Gilgamesh
Theme 1: Death is unavoidable

In the beginning, Enkidu is frightened by the monster Humbaba and fears death. Enkidu
is told he must die by the god Enil because he and Gilgamesh have killed the Bull of Heaven and
Humbaba and either him or Gilgamesh has to die. Gilgamesh tries to find help to save his friend,
but Enkidu dies anyway.

Enkidu does not want to die, but knows he has to. Enkidu has learned to accept death as a
part of life, but wished he could have experienced more and been with Gilgamesh longer.

Gilgamesh is so upset by his loss of his friend. He goes and searches for immortality He
wanted to bring Enkidu back to life, and become immortal himself. He searches for Utnapishtim,
who has been granted immortality from the gods. Utnapishtim puts Gilgamesh through
challenges such as staying awake and finding a plant which will prick him and make him
immortal. However, Gilgamesh fails at these challenges. He is a human, and will die eventually.

Gilgamesh envies the gods' immortality. He desperately misses Enkidu.

“How much it costs to lose a friend it loved” (Mason 53).

“I can't imagine being left alone, I'm less a man without my friend. Gilgamesh did not let
himself believe the gods had chosen one of them to die” (Mason 47).

“For being human holds a special grief of privacy within the universe that yearns and
waits to be retouched by someone who can take away the memory of death” (Mason 54).
Monroe 2

Gilgamesh does not want to accept death, but in the end learns to appreciate his life and
value what time he has left on earth.

“His life became a quest to find the secret of eternal life which he might carry back to
give his friend” (Mason 55).
Theme 2: Friendship can change one's life

In the beginning, Gilgamesh was a tyrant and horrible king. He slept with all the brides,
and overworked his people. Gilgamesh meets Enkidu, a man who is half man and half animal,
and at first they fight, but later become friends. Gilgamesh and Enkidu see themselves in one
another and form a strong bond. They go to fight the monster Humbaba together and feel as
though together they are extremely powerful. The two friends protect each other on their
journeys. Enkidu and Gilgamesh were equals, and made for one another. Together, they defeat
the Bull of Heaven and Humbaba.

“We are together. There is nothing we should fear” (Mason 28).

“We were always at each other's side, encouraging when one was discouraged or afraid or
didn't understand” (Mason 60).

After Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh is devastated and
will do anything to bring his friend back. The friendship between the two was short, but changed
both of their lives completely. Enkidu helped calm Gilgamesh and make him a better ruler and
person. Gilgamesh helped Enkidu become part of society and act like a man. The two friends
bring out the best in each other, and love each other. Gilgamesh will remember Enkidu, but will
not dwell on the thought of his death forever.