Although the gaps and missing words were extremely frustrating to read around, I enjoyed going on adventures with Gilgamesh. Some tablets were easier to understand than others, but I appreciated the brief translations provided every few lines.
Gilgamesh failed to meet my criteria for what makes a good leader. Prior to Enkidu’s arrival, he treated the people of Uruk poorly. One of the most important qualities in a leader is the ability to bring people together, but that’s pretty hard when they don’t respect you. Women were especially treated poorly. On each wedding night, Gilgamesh felt he deserved to deflower each new wife prior to their new husbands getting the chance. Once the people of Uruk finally had enough, they prayed to the gods to create a rival for Gilgamesh …show more content…
Once Enkidu was introduced, Gilgamesh’s attitude changed. Although their first encounter wasn’t a pleasant one, Enkidu and Gilgamesh put their differences aside and became great friends. Now that Gilgamesh had a friend, his priorities changed. He wanted to do good by his people for the first time in a long time. Prior to them meeting each other, we get a glance of what their priorities are like. On page 13 in the first translation of tablet II, the narrator explains that both Gilgamesh and Enkidu stayed up all night but for different reasons, “..Gilgamesh keeps his subjects awake at night with his roistering, Enkidu stays up all night to protect the flocks”. Once they become friends, Gilgamesh finally has a positive influence in his life and starts to change the way he is. I feel that because they were so similar in stature but polar opposite in attitude, Gilgamesh may have found it easier to be the big tough nice guy like Enkidu, instead of the town monster like he had been in the past. Through their adventures, their relationship grows and they are constantly reassuring and encouraging each other to be heroic and brave. Once Enkidu
Gilgamesh failed to meet my criteria for what makes a good leader. Prior to Enkidu’s arrival, he treated the people of Uruk poorly. One of the most important qualities in a leader is the ability to bring people together, but that’s pretty hard when they don’t respect you. Women were especially treated poorly. On each wedding night, Gilgamesh felt he deserved to deflower each new wife prior to their new husbands getting the chance. Once the people of Uruk finally had enough, they prayed to the gods to create a rival for Gilgamesh …show more content…
Once Enkidu was introduced, Gilgamesh’s attitude changed. Although their first encounter wasn’t a pleasant one, Enkidu and Gilgamesh put their differences aside and became great friends. Now that Gilgamesh had a friend, his priorities changed. He wanted to do good by his people for the first time in a long time. Prior to them meeting each other, we get a glance of what their priorities are like. On page 13 in the first translation of tablet II, the narrator explains that both Gilgamesh and Enkidu stayed up all night but for different reasons, “..Gilgamesh keeps his subjects awake at night with his roistering, Enkidu stays up all night to protect the flocks”. Once they become friends, Gilgamesh finally has a positive influence in his life and starts to change the way he is. I feel that because they were so similar in stature but polar opposite in attitude, Gilgamesh may have found it easier to be the big tough nice guy like Enkidu, instead of the town monster like he had been in the past. Through their adventures, their relationship grows and they are constantly reassuring and encouraging each other to be heroic and brave. Once Enkidu