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The Importance Of Friendship In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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The friendships that we develop throughout our lives strongly influence us, contributing in important ways to the type of people we become. Indeed, a friend can bring out a person’s best or their worst; sometimes the same friend can do both. Strong friendships are centrally important to the main characters of two of literature’s most celebrated epic poems. In The Epic of
Gilgamesh, the title character has Enkidu; in The Iliad, Achilles has Patroclus. At the center of these epics are two heroic men who share several similarities, including superhuman strength and other god-like qualities. These two men also share the same tragic flaw: overweening pride and immaturity. In each case, the strong bonds of friendship have important influences on …show more content…

Nonetheless, Patroclus’ death, as Enkidu’s death did for
Gilgamesh, leads Achilles to maturity, which is final stage of his journey. It is Achilles’ confrontation with Hector, as triggered by the death of Patroclus, that introduces Achilles to the true horror to death and allows his character to reach maturity. When Patroclus dies, Achilles is forced to put aside his anger and seek vengeance. Patroclus death causes Achilles to leave behind his youthful rage and act like an adult.
Throughout the two epics, Achilles and Gilgamesh are effected in several ways by their significant others. In some ways, the two tales differ: Gilgamesh is changed in profound ways by his friendship, while Achilles is not. The deaths of their friends affect both heroes deeply, but in different ways. In both cases, though, the friendships serve as a bridge carrying the heroes to the good point
Keith Kampen: this needs more support. Didn't Achilles choose a short life and death with everlasting glory?
Keith Kampen:
I take it that this is after he was "far from accepting his mortality," since after he returns to fight he knows his death is sealed.

final stages of their journey of development, teaching each of them a lesson about their own

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