Gilgamesh and Sohrab and Rostam

EN - 207

In the epics "Gilgamesh" and "The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam", the two heroes, Gilgamesh and Rostam, both have to deal with a loss of the most precious person in their lives. Gilgamesh loses his friend and companion, Enkidu, and Rostam loses his son, Sohrab. They have different types of relationships with their loved ones and therefore react to the situations in different ways.

Gilgamesh loses his best friend and companion, Enkidu, in his epic. Before Enkidu is created and the relationship begins, Gilgamesh is a tyrant ruler of his kingdom. The Gods do not like the way Gilgamesh is conducting himself and create Enkidu to appease Gilgamesh. Enkidu goes to stop Gilgamesh, and in the struggle Gilgamesh barley comes to be the victor and both decide they are equals and stop fighting and become friends and eventually soul mates. "So Enkidu and Gilgamesh embraced and their friendship was sealed" (17).

They go on adventures with each other, which strengthens their relationship even more. They go to the Land of Cedars to defeat Humbaba, a huge beast and keeper of the forest. "...we will go to the forest and destroy the evil..." (18). After killing the beast and cutting down the cedar trees, they return home. While home, the goddess Ishtar sexually approaches Gilgamesh but he refuses her. She gets furious and unleashes the Bull of Heaven, but Enkidu and Gilgamesh both fight with the bull until Gilgamesh stabs and kills the bull.

The Gods are angry with Enkidu and Gilgamesh for cutting down the cedar trees and killing Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. Enkidu has falls ill and dies ten days later. "...Gilgamesh lamented; seven days and seven nights he wept for Enkidu..." (31). Gilgamesh was grief stricken when Enkidu died, for it was his best friend.

Gilgamesh then seeks out Utnapishtim, who survived the flood that almost ended life on Earth and then became the only mortal granted everlasting life by the gods. He hopes Utnapishtim can tell him how he can also escape death. To get to Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh must go on an arduous journey. He travels to Mashu, a very tall mountain, and through twelve hours of total darkness until he reaches the sea. He then must travel with Urshanabi, Utnapishtim's boatman, through treacherous waters. They finally reach Utnapishtim and Gilgamesh is tested for his worthiness of being immortal by staying awake for a week. Gilgamesh can't do it but he cleans himself up and is told that only Gods can live forever.

In the Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam, Rostam loses his precious son, Sohrab. Their relationship, or lack there of, begins when Rostam, a strong, strapping man with good traits, has sex with Tahmine, a Turkish princess and future mother of Sohrab, one night. After that night he never sees of hears from her again.

Sohrab is born and grows too quickly into a strapping young man. He gets curious because he is bigger than children his age and anyone else for that matter. His mother confirms that he is Rostam's son. He wants to find his father so together they take over the kingdoms of Shah Kavus and of Shah Afrasiyab. "To brave Rostam I'll