In pages 46-60 Gilgamesh is obviously struggling with Enkidu's death. When various gods ask him why he looks so emaciated and haggard he repeats himself numerous times saying, "My friend (Enkidu), who I love deeply, who went through every hardship with me... the fate of mankind has taken over him... I began to fear death... Am I not like him? Will I lie down, never to get up again?" Do you think Gilgamesh is desturbed by his Enkidu's death or is it deeper than that? Is Gilgamesh really disturbed by the thought of himself dying? (If you like you can compare or contrast your answer with what is said on page 60. Right before Tablet XI.)
Gilgamesh is this superhuman being, a God-like being who can handle anything that comes his way. Enkidu is this wild beastlike entity who offers Gilgamesh balance. The two are literally the meeting of the civilized world's dominance over nature and the natural world's ceaseless (and nonetheless losing) resistance to that world. So yes, Gilgamesh is disturbed by the death of his friend, not because he fears his own death, but because Enkidu is like a part of him. Enkidu is the ying to his yang. Enkidu is nature, Gilgamesh civilization. Enkidu is the savage, Gilgamesh the hero. Gilgamesh defines himself by his other, Enkidu. He doesn't want to lose his other, for fear that in defining himself through another, he may lose himself.
I dont believe that Gilamesh was disturbed by Enkidu death, because Enkidu was not important to Gilamesh. Gilamesh's only mission was to find complete immortality and Enkidu was not that important in his quest. It seemed to me that Enkidu was only a follower behind Gilamesh. In some sense there may have been some kind of bond between the two. Gilamesh wasn't disturbed by the thought og himself dying because he felt at some point that he would someday find that state of immortality.
I think Gilgamesh was so focus on being godly that he forgot that he was part mortal. And when that part of him came out it scared him.The fear of death. He never thought that he would have to deal with death. I think that the death of Enkidu broke him. His better half is no more and he is lost with out him. Im not sure if he is disturbed about dying himself, but i think he is wants to know why enkidu died.
In the reading, it is apparent Gilgamesh is struggling with Enkidu's death. By Enkidu dying, Gilgamesh kinda goes mad and will stop at nothing for answers about his fate. After losing a friend and companion, Gilgamesh was hit with the reality that eventually he will die. He makes it a point to bring up the fact that he has lost such a great friend and that is why he looks the way he does: "Should my heart not be wretched, mey freatures not haggard? should there not be sadness deep within me...should I not I not roam the wilderness?" Before Enkidu's death, death was not even a thought in Gilgamesh's mind. Now, the reality has sunk in that death is a part of his future.
In the story Gilgamesh has soon that he is a very selfish and self-centered person. He is very sad and upset at the fact that his best friend has died, but is that really it. He is very attentive to his friends body, but how can someone so selfish be so caring of someone else. Do you think there is more to Gilgamesh's feeling then the fact that he is upset his friend has died? Is he just being selfish, or are we seeing another side to Gelgamesh, that we have yet to see?
I think that, at first, Gilgamesh genuinely mourned the death of his comrade. However, that death sparked something: It made him realize his own mortality. He seems to have not wanted to believe that Enkidu was actually dead: it took decay and maggots to make him walk away from the body. He calls death the fate of mankind, and since he is still a man, he realizes that the same fate will await him one day. The death of his friend made him even more focused on finding out about his own fate...mortality or immortality.
It took Enkidu dying for Gilgamesh to acknowledge death as reality and of course he fears it. I believe that he truly was upset with his friend dying but the reason not being that his friend is now dead but that he someday will die to. Gilgameshs' eyes are opened and exposed to death as a natural thing for mankind which makes him wonder about his own death. He fears the day of his death more than his friend Enkidu being gone.
I think that it is deeper, Gilgamesh is disturbed and worried about what could happen to him. He has been thinking that nothing can touch him and that he will live forever, just like Enkidu did, but after seeing Enkidu dying he starts to think for himself what could happen to him.
Gilgamesh is more disturbed by the thought of his own death than by the loss of his friend Enkidu. With Enkidu's death Gilgamesh realizes his own mortality and ventures out to find meaning to life. When he is asked why he looks the way he does Gilgamesh responds by saying "Should my heart not be wretched, my freatures not haggard? should there not be sadness deep within me...should I not I not roam the wilderness?" by this passage he is saying what is the point of greatness if even great people die.
Maintainining that Enkidu and Gilgamesh were more than"just friends"...
How would you feel if someone that you considered the love of your life just died and there was nothing you could to about it? sure death can make a person question their own mortality, but the death of a romantic loved one would put even the very strong out for a while to brood and muse about life and death.
Gilgamesh might also have been thinking about a situation in which he would have died and enkidu not died. maybe not so utilitarian, but greif makes a person think alot of bad thoughts. And he would wonder if Enkidu would miss him as much, and who would have run his kingdom in his death
11 comments:
In pages 46-60 Gilgamesh is obviously struggling with Enkidu's death. When various gods ask him why he looks so emaciated and haggard he repeats himself numerous times saying, "My friend (Enkidu), who I love deeply, who went through every hardship with me... the fate of mankind has taken over him... I began to fear death... Am I not like him? Will I lie down, never to get up again?" Do you think Gilgamesh is desturbed by his Enkidu's death or is it deeper than that? Is Gilgamesh really disturbed by the thought of himself dying? (If you like you can compare or contrast your answer with what is said on page 60. Right before Tablet XI.)
Gilgamesh is this superhuman being, a God-like being who can handle anything that comes his way. Enkidu is this wild beastlike entity who offers Gilgamesh balance. The two are literally the meeting of the civilized world's dominance over nature and the natural world's ceaseless (and nonetheless losing) resistance to that world. So yes, Gilgamesh is disturbed by the death of his friend, not because he fears his own death, but because Enkidu is like a part of him. Enkidu is the ying to his yang. Enkidu is nature, Gilgamesh civilization. Enkidu is the savage, Gilgamesh the hero. Gilgamesh defines himself by his other, Enkidu. He doesn't want to lose his other, for fear that in defining himself through another, he may lose himself.
I dont believe that Gilamesh was disturbed by Enkidu death, because Enkidu was not important to Gilamesh. Gilamesh's only mission was to find complete immortality and Enkidu was not that important in his quest. It seemed to me that Enkidu was only a follower behind Gilamesh. In some sense there may have been some kind of bond between the two. Gilamesh wasn't disturbed by the thought og himself dying because he felt at some point that he would someday find that state of immortality.
I think Gilgamesh was so focus on being godly that he forgot that he was part mortal. And when that part of him came out it scared him.The fear of death. He never thought that he would have to deal with death. I think that the death of Enkidu broke him. His better half is no more and he is lost with out him. Im not sure if he is disturbed about dying himself, but i think he is wants to know why enkidu died.
For missed quiz:
In the reading, it is apparent Gilgamesh is struggling with Enkidu's death. By Enkidu dying, Gilgamesh kinda goes mad and will stop at nothing for answers about his fate. After losing a friend and companion, Gilgamesh was hit with the reality that eventually he will die. He makes it a point to bring up the fact that he has lost such a great friend and that is why he looks the way he does: "Should my heart not be wretched, mey freatures not haggard? should there not be sadness deep within me...should I not I not roam the wilderness?" Before Enkidu's death, death was not even a thought in Gilgamesh's mind. Now, the reality has sunk in that death is a part of his future.
In the story Gilgamesh has soon that he is a very selfish and self-centered person. He is very sad and upset at the fact that his best friend has died, but is that really it. He is very attentive to his friends body, but how can someone so selfish be so caring of someone else. Do you think there is more to Gilgamesh's feeling then the fact that he is upset his friend has died? Is he just being selfish, or are we seeing another side to Gelgamesh, that we have yet to see?
I think that, at first, Gilgamesh genuinely mourned the death of his comrade. However, that death sparked something: It made him realize his own mortality. He seems to have not wanted to believe that Enkidu was actually dead: it took decay and maggots to make him walk away from the body. He calls death the fate of mankind, and since he is still a man, he realizes that the same fate will await him one day. The death of his friend made him even more focused on finding out about his own fate...mortality or immortality.
It took Enkidu dying for Gilgamesh to acknowledge death as reality and of course he fears it. I believe that he truly was upset with his friend dying but the reason not being that his friend is now dead but that he someday will die to. Gilgameshs' eyes are opened and exposed to death as a natural thing for mankind which makes him wonder about his own death. He fears the day of his death more than his friend Enkidu being gone.
I think that it is deeper, Gilgamesh is disturbed and worried about what could happen to him. He has been thinking that nothing can touch him and that he will live forever, just like Enkidu did, but after seeing Enkidu dying he starts to think for himself what could happen to him.
Gilgamesh is more disturbed by the thought of his own death than by the loss of his friend Enkidu. With Enkidu's death Gilgamesh realizes his own mortality and ventures out to find meaning to life. When he is asked why he looks the way he does Gilgamesh responds by saying "Should my heart not be wretched, my freatures not haggard? should there not be sadness deep within me...should I not I not roam the wilderness?" by this passage he is saying what is the point of greatness if even great people die.
In answer to kimberly...
Maintainining that Enkidu and Gilgamesh were more than"just friends"...
How would you feel if someone that you considered the love of your life just died and there was nothing you could to about it? sure death can make a person question their own mortality, but the death of a romantic loved one would put even the very strong out for a while to brood and muse about life and death.
Gilgamesh might also have been thinking about a situation in which he would have died and enkidu not died. maybe not so utilitarian, but greif makes a person think alot of bad thoughts. And he would wonder if Enkidu would miss him as much, and who would have run his kingdom in his death
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