Gilgamesh II & III

Gilgamesh seems to be an interesting story, until now. It is easy to understand and it has ways to call the reader’s attention. It’s not like other stories I have ever read before. It has some weird names for different places, which are not very described, and then there are some people, like the main characters that are described in different ways. Some are physically described, and it explains what they really look like. Then there are other ways of describing them, by just saying “the terror”. This really makes me think, because in a way they are helping us understand the story by telling us exactly how they looked like, but at the same time it is giving us some clues to uncover the hidden symbolism it has.

Something else I have been able to realize when reading a short passage, was that there is a lot of repeating. There are certain words or phrases such as “protector of the people”, “hairy-bodied wild man of the grasslands” or “Huwawa´s mouth is fire” that appear more than others. I don’t see this repeating monotonous or boring, I find it as a way to grab and actually hold the reader’s attention, because it is emphasizing and showing its real importance.

If you look at it through the perspective of The QUESTions, you can really see what they think about life and about themselves and who they really are in this world. More than just the questions on how they got here and were exactly they are going, I think we can see clearly that sometimes you just have to realize that you are not alone and that there are others around you that are willing to help, because believe it or not you need them by your side. Having someone helping you can be something good and bad. We can see, how it at first seemed to be something bad for Gilgamesh, because he was really strong and full of terror, but he didn’t know how to go through the forest like Enkidu did. This helped him understand that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that once in a while we need others to point them out and help us make those weaknesses into strengths.

Something I really liked was the way Enkidu reacted to his “new life”. Everything was different for him and yet he was opened to everything they introduced to him, such as the food, and new clothing. I think he acted in a very mature way and showed real bravery when he had to be with Gilgamesh, which at moments believed he was the best of the best and that there was nothing compared to his greatness.

A really weird part that I didn’t really like, or understand was the kissing there was between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Why did that even happen?

That’s all for now, still an interesting story, only now there is more things introduced in this second and third part that help us understand the characters, their ideas and beliefs a little better.