Quotes-Gilgamesh

1. Good vs Evil- "Humbaba said, 'Enkidu, what you have spoken is evil: you, a hireling, dependent for you bread! In envy and for fear of a rival you have spoken evil words."' (83).

2. The hero's companion- In this story I strongly believe the hero is Gilgamesh and it is very obvious that Enkidu is his companion, after all they even preform a ritual to make themselves blood brothers. "Let Enkidu protect his friend, and guard his companion, and bring him safe through the pitfalls of the road" (76). This is a quote from Ninsun, before Gilgamesh and Enkidu set out on their journey to defeat Humbaba. Not only does this quote flat out say that they are companions but it shows how much love they show for each other, after all they want to protect one another. This is a very brotherly and emotional feeling for both of them, because they have never had anyone who they felt so connected to. My theory is that they feel this way because they were created as equals. Gilgamesh has always seen himself as more powerful and stronger than everyone in his life up until this point. Now he has someone he can connect to because he doesn't feel superior to them. For Enkidu he also has never had someone he could connect with. After all up until he met Gilgamesh and learned the ways of a civilized life he had lived among the animals. He was also created to be strong and powerful, so just like Gilgamesh, even if he had been among humans he wouldn't have felt normal. We tend to connect with people we feel equal with, after all no one really wants a strong bond with someone who acts superior or inferior to them, I strongly believe that is why these two create such an insperatable bond. When Enkidu dies it tears Gilgamesh apart, it almost makes him become animal like. "He began to rage like a lion, like a lioness robed of her whelps" (95). When Enkidu dies Gilgamesh feels like he has lost a part of himself more than anything. Not just a friend, but his strongest companion and brother. 

3. Love- "Then she placed the amulet for a pledge around his neck, and she said to him 'I entrust my son to you; bring him back to me safely.'" (75).

4. Loss of innocence- "Enkidu was grown weak, for wisdom was in him, and the thoughts of a man were in his heart" (63).

5. View of the after life- "Then he called to Gilgamesh, 'My friend, the great goddess cursed me and now I must die in shame. I shall not die like a man fallen in battle; I feared to fall, but happy is the man who falls in the battle, for I must die in shame'" (93)

6. Legacy- "Then Gilgamesh issued a proclamation through the land, he summond them all, the coppersmiths, the goldsmiths, the stone-workers, and commanded them, 'Make a statue of my friend'" (96).