Essay on the Epic of Gilgamesh

Essay over The Epic of Gilgamesh

The main character in the book The Epic of Gilgamesh is Gilgamesh

himself. In the beginning of the book one realizes that Gilgamesh is an

arrogant person. Gilgamesh is full of himself and abuses his rights as king.

He has sexual intercourse with the virgins of his town and acts as though he

is a god. Although some readers of this classic book may say that Gilgamesh

does not change from the beginning of the book, it can easily be interpreted

the other way.

Throughout the book, many things cause Gilgamesh to change. He gains a

friend, he makes a name for himself by killing Humbaba, and he tries to

become immortal because of the death of Enkidu. Through these main actions

his personality changes and he becomes a better person. First, the quest

for immortality after the death of Enkidu shows that Gilgamesh has changed.

Gilgamesh becomes frightened when he realizes that he isn't immortal. After

the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh tries to find immortality by trying to cross

the ocean to find it. He sounds pathetic as he rambles of his reason for

trying to find everlasting life. His state of being at this part in the

book, which is the end, is completely different from his arrogant beginning

of this epic. Gilgamesh has gone from arrogant to scared. Second, the death

of Humbaba changes Gilgamesh. Humbaba is evil. Many people who live in the

city of Uruk fear Gilgamesh. Most would say that Gilgamesh himself is, in

fact, evil. He has sex with the virgins, he does what he wants, and he tends

to offend the gods. He has lots of problems with Ishtar. By going into the

forest and facing Humbaba, Gilgamesh makes a name for himself and changes the

views of the people in his city. This is a very arguable point. Yes, the

past of Gilgamesh does not change, but the great deed of killing Humbaba,

makes him a better person because he protects his city. This is another

arguable point. Most would say he does this only to make a name for himself,

but that is not the case. Gilgamesh does this because of his love for Enkidu

and his people; he has changed from the beginning of the epic.

Finally and most importantly, the main reason that Gilgamesh changes from

the beginning of the book is the friendship that he has with Enkidu. Enkidu

is made to make Gilgamesh more human. In the first paragraph of the book the

gods are angry with Gilgamesh and send down an equal of himself, they send

down Enkidu. After becoming friends, Gilgamesh changes because he has an

equal to be with. Enkidu and Gilgamesh