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Friendship, Love, And Death In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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The Epic of Gilgamesh and Antigone, two power filled literature pieces, using friendship, love, and death, the themes pushing the text by Sandars. Gilgamesh, hero-king of Uruk, has all power over the community. He abuses his power, taking new brides, laying with them before the new husbands (Sandars p.62). Sex in the culture is a sense of control, Gilgamesh with the new brides and the harlot, overpowering Enkidu, feared by a trapper, because of his animal like ways and appearance (p. 63). The abuse of power, leads to a fight with his enemy, Enkidu, created to take down Gilgamesh for oppressing the people. In addition to the rivalries develop a friendship (p. 69). The friendship teaches Gilgamesh compassion, something he lacked toward the people before bonding with Enkidu. In love for the first time, Gilgamesh takes Enkidu’s advice in war, the two become inseparable. Gilgamesh remains by his friend’s side until he dies. The death of Enkidu shows Gilgamesh that kingship will not save him from that same fate. Furthermore, he feared death and sought eternal life in hopes of avoiding death.
Sandars highlights the characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, is beautiful, perfect in stature, strong, wise, two thirds gods, and one third man. He oppresses his people, however, he builds a wall around Uruk to protect the people (p. 61). Crying over the death of his friend, shows a sensitive side of the king. Enkidu, animal like, lives in the wild, eats with the

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