FREE ESSAY ON THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

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 become as close as brothers. Because 
of this, a very arguable point comes up. Were Enkidu and Gilgamesh lovers? 
The answer is obviously yes. What points in the book show this? They go to 
sleep holding hands, Gilgamesh loves Enkidu like a woman, and Gilgamesh goes 
almost insane after the death of Enkidu. The point of Enkidu being a lover 
of Gilgamesh is very important. It allows the reader to understand the 
reasoning of Gilgamesh changing. There are no changes in Gilgamesh as a 
person until Enkidu enters the picture. Obviously he is the reason for all 
eventual changes in the personality and manhood of Gilgamesh. If the belief 
and understanding of Gilgamesh and Enkidu being much more than good friends 
is present, then the understanding of why Gilgamesh changes in the book is 
also present. If Gilgamesh is just friends with Enkidu some change is 
possible, but not almost total recall as Gilgamesh does in the book. People 
change more if there is sex involved and there is a deep relationship. In 
order to make Enkidu happy, Gilgamesh has to change, and he does, throughout 
their relationship. In reflection, although some people would say that 
Gilgamesh does not change from the beginning of the book The Epic of 
Gilgamesh, the better understanding of the book reveals that, in fact, 
Gilgamesh does change from the beginning of the book to the end. The 
personality of Gilgamesh changes for three distinct reasons. First, 
Gilgamesh changes in the book because of his insatiable desire for 
immortality after the death of Enkidu. Gilgamesh wants immortality after the 
death of Enkidu. Second, Gilgamesh changes in the book because of the death 
of Humbaba.