Gilgamesh Quest

In a quest, there are five elements that are included: a quester a place to go, a reason to go, challenges and trials, and a real reason to go. Thomas C. Foster describes this common theme in “How to Read Literature Like a Professor.” The epic of Gilgamesh is a very much good example of a quest, as Gilgamesh takes on the great journey to the underworld after the death of his friend, Enkidu. This ancient story proves that in a quest the reason for going on the journey isn’t always fulfilled, but self-knowledge is always the outcome. Gilgamesh’s initial reason for starting his journey to the underworld was to become immortal like others, after his friend passed from an illness brought upon by the gods. There are elements in this story that alter this goal after encountering something or someone like Enkidu. The questers helper is Enkidu who is introduced in the story, in the first tablet, to basically keep Gilgamesh in check and to bring down his ego. With the help of Enkidu, Gilgamesh was able to overcome things, one including his own pride and ego, which he would not been able to do it by himself. Enkidu’s main purpose was to control Gilgamesh’s ways as he was not acting like the noble king he was supposed to. The role of Enkidu was most significant to the questers transformation throughout the

After the adventure, to the forbidden cedar forest that mortals were not allowed into, the due run into their first trial. Of course, without his helper Gilgamesh would have not been able to defeat the demon, Humbaba, but the real game changer is Enkidu’s death. This allows for the quester to have his call for adventure which is to find immortality so that he does not end up like his friend who was disciplined by the gods. This was the initial start to the journey to find Utnapishtim although the goal Gilgamesh leaves with is not the same that he will come back with in the