Why do you think the gods chose to punish Enkidu instead of Gilgamesh? Do you think that Gilgamesh's search for Utnapishtim's secret to eternal life is selfish on behlaf of Gilgamesh or do you think that it is a way to honor Enkidu? Explain.
I think that because Gilgamesh follows the scriptures and lives his life trying to please and have good works I believe that’s why god punishes Enkidu because he doesn’t know much of the scriptures it says he had not been taught. So maybe it’s his fault for not trying to learn. I believe that anybody in the story or in life that searches for the reasons to believe what they need for eternal life that is not a selfish act it is an act of trying to have eternal life. If you knew after you died you had a choice to live and to be dead what would you do? I would pick life before giving honor to someone else and not being secure with my own path taken.
From the reading I didnt quite interpret that the Gods wanted to punish Enkidu, I felt that they felt that Gilgamesh was more worthy than Enkidu. They wanted Enkidu to sacrifice his life for his comrade Gilgmesh. In answering the question, I feel that they Gods felt that Gilgamesh life was more valuable than Enkidu life. Gilgamesh quest for eternal life, came off to be a selfish act in a way because he seemed only to want eternal glory and victory of defeated the demon, Humhaba. I dont believe that he wanted to honor Enkidu, it just seem like he wanted to be known for defeated Humhaba.
****make up answer (April 2) **** By killing Enkidu, the gods were getting revenge on both of them. Enkidu was created as Gilgamesh's equal, his other half. What better way to destroy someone with out actually touching them? Hurt the person who is closest to them. Of course Gilgamesh was being selfish. He didn't go in search of a resurrection potion or plant. He didn't want to visit Enkidu in the underworld. It was a search for his ownselfish immortality.
i agree with chaquita, in that i dont think that the gods were trying to punish Enkidu as much as they wanted to us him to help guide Gilgamesh maybe b/c he was more worthy due to his strength. I think at first Gilgamesh was only out to seek "glory" for himself and to establish a legacy. His attitude may have been changed a little after the gods took Enkidu, but i think his greatest concern was to be able to say that he defeated humbaba by his own strength.
I would say that having Enkidu lead Gilgamesh was not a punishment but a worthy position. They kept complimenting the position so that is how i would take it. I think that the journey in its whole was a selfish journey for Gilgamesh, but I also think that in a way he had to prove himself to others and to himself because he is suppose to be this extremely strong not of this world man, and by going on the journey and killing Humbaba he would succeed with that endeavor.
I must have missed/not yet read about the gods punishing Enkidu. I think Gilgamesh is selfish for wanting eternal life. The lines of the bottom of page 18 shows evidence he just wants fame "Should I fall,...fame for eternity!" It seems like Gilgamesh said this because he meant it, but also wanted Enkidu to know this so Enkidu can protect him from being harmed. When the time came to Humbaba it seems Gilgamesh let Enkidu go first into the danger(or he just really became a coward at the last minute).
maybe my interpritation of what i read was very different but, i didn't real see Enkidu's transformation to a man as punishment. He was a means to an end for the gods. meant to balance out Gilgamesh. I also think that Gilgamesh and Enkidnu are going to fall madly in love and share the secret of eternal life and since they are two halves to a whole they will be forever in homeostatis.
8 comments:
Why do you think the gods chose to punish Enkidu instead of Gilgamesh? Do you think that Gilgamesh's search for Utnapishtim's secret to eternal life is selfish on behlaf of Gilgamesh or do you think that it is a way to honor Enkidu? Explain.
I think that because Gilgamesh follows the scriptures and lives his life trying to please and have good works I believe that’s why god punishes Enkidu because he doesn’t know much of the scriptures it says he had not been taught. So maybe it’s his fault for not trying to learn. I believe that anybody in the story or in life that searches for the reasons to believe what they need for eternal life that is not a selfish act it is an act of trying to have eternal life. If you knew after you died you had a choice to live and to be dead what would you do? I would pick life before giving honor to someone else and not being secure with my own path taken.
From the reading I didnt quite interpret that the Gods wanted to punish Enkidu, I felt that they felt that Gilgamesh was more worthy than Enkidu. They wanted Enkidu to sacrifice his life for his comrade Gilgmesh. In answering the question, I feel that they Gods felt that Gilgamesh life was more valuable than Enkidu life. Gilgamesh quest for eternal life, came off to be a selfish act in a way because he seemed only to want eternal glory and victory of defeated the demon, Humhaba. I dont believe that he wanted to honor Enkidu, it just seem like he wanted to be known for defeated Humhaba.
****make up answer (April 2) ****
By killing Enkidu, the gods were getting revenge on both of them. Enkidu was created as Gilgamesh's equal, his other half. What better way to destroy someone with out actually touching them? Hurt the person who is closest to them.
Of course Gilgamesh was being selfish. He didn't go in search of a resurrection potion or plant. He didn't want to visit Enkidu in the underworld. It was a search for his ownselfish immortality.
i agree with chaquita, in that i dont think that the gods were trying to punish Enkidu as much as they wanted to us him to help guide Gilgamesh maybe b/c he was more worthy due to his strength. I think at first Gilgamesh was only out to seek "glory" for himself and to establish a legacy. His attitude may have been changed a little after the gods took Enkidu, but i think his greatest concern was to be able to say that he defeated humbaba by his own strength.
I would say that having Enkidu lead Gilgamesh was not a punishment but a worthy position. They kept complimenting the position so that is how i would take it. I think that the journey in its whole was a selfish journey for Gilgamesh, but I also think that in a way he had to prove himself to others and to himself because he is suppose to be this extremely strong not of this world man, and by going on the journey and killing Humbaba he would succeed with that endeavor.
I must have missed/not yet read about the gods punishing Enkidu. I think Gilgamesh is selfish for wanting eternal life. The lines of the bottom of page 18 shows evidence he just wants fame "Should I fall,...fame for eternity!" It seems like Gilgamesh said this because he meant it, but also wanted Enkidu to know this so Enkidu can protect him from being harmed. When the time came to Humbaba it seems Gilgamesh let Enkidu go first into the danger(or he just really became a coward at the last minute).
maybe my interpritation of what i read was very different but, i didn't real see Enkidu's transformation to a man as punishment. He was a means to an end for the gods. meant to balance out Gilgamesh. I also think that Gilgamesh and Enkidnu are going to fall madly in love and share the secret of eternal life and since they are two halves to a whole they will be forever in homeostatis.
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