Reading Response: Epic of Gilgamesh There are questions of what tomorrow may bring. How will we handle the things life has to offer us? We don’t always know how we will react. These questions can be triggered by physical aging or a change in the lifestyle. With age come the questions of morality. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, we find Gilgamesh faced with the same questions. Through a series of tests we find out how he deals with it and how he handles the situation Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, takes life for granted. Enkidu is created as a companion for him. Through life experiences, on his search for immortality, Gilgamesh develops socially, morally, and emotionally. Social development provides a formation for friendship, love and security. It can sometimes be used as a substitute for family. It is for this development the gods created Enkidu as a companion for Gilgamesh. He now has someone that can be depended upon for friendship, love and the security of companionship. It is a process of developing a new self. Only then can Gilgamesh move toward becoming fully responsible for his own life. As a companion to Gilgamesh, Enkidu encourages Gilgamesh to become a better person. He tells him that he should be a leader to his people and that he shouldn’t take everything to his liking. His conscience allows him to deal with moral issues and marks a time of a more mature personality. Emotional development deals with one’s ability to deal with his own feelings. It is an important part of mature growth. Gilgamesh shows this trait several times throughout his search. With the death of Enkidu, he suffers greatly. He also has to deal with the most stressful loss, the death of a companion. He experiences feelings of fear and loss of hope. This became a time to deal with himself and a time to deal with the inevitable. ...
