Enkidu And Gilgamesh Foil

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Enkidu one of Gilgamesh’s best friends and partner in crime, from The Epic of Gilgamesh had a major impact on Gilgamesh throughout the epic. For Gilgamesh, I think Enkidu is equally important through his life and death. During his life Enkidu is Gilgamesh’s foil and at his death he is a reminder of his mortality. Enkidu is a great foil to Gilgamesh; Enkidu a man who was created from the wilderness and was one with it having to become civilized compared to Gilgamesh a king blessed by the Gods: “Two-thirds of him is god, one-third of him is human. The Great Goddess [Aruru] designed the model for his body, she prepared his form …… beautiful, handsomest of men,… perfect…” (1.46-50). So they’re backgrounds are already on two different ends of the spectrum. Even in their first time meeting each other they get into a fight but despite all the odds they become best friends. That is because Enkidu fills the void of Gilgamesh’s discontent. Together they become a powerhouse, going on adventures and defeating monsters. Just what Gilgamesh needs to create an everlasting name for himself. However, when they’re together they still have distinct parts of they’re personality. Enkidu is concerned about death and fearful but Gilgamesh …show more content…
He loses a part of himself because with Enkidu he was one powerful machine and now he is worn out and rusted gears. When Enkidu is dying he tells Gilgamesh how awful and terrible the underworld is and reminds him everyone will go there one day. From that after Enkidu’s death he changes from morning his friend to morning for himself, because he will have to die too someday: “I am going to die!—am I not like Enkidu?! Deep sadness penetrates my core, I fear death…” (9.2-5). This is a big change from the beginning when death was a distant unimportant concept to Gilgamesh to something that terrifies Gilgamesh and is the only thing he can think about. So much so it starts Gilgamesh’s journey for
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