How Did Gilgamesh Influence Enkidu's Journey?

As a result of Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh makes a final journey to find spiritual fulfillment and self- discovery. The following days after Enkidu passed Gilgamesh mourned and cried out, “ Hear me, O young men, listen to me, / Hear me, O elders of Uruk, Listen to me!/ I mourn my friend Enkidu,” (VIII. 36-38) in addition to calling out to Enkidu, “Come back to me! You hear me not.” (VIII. 50) This is the point in the Epic where an affectionate side of Gilgamesh is shown. Although Gilgamesh mourns he also becomes very angry, “Tearing out and hurling away the locks of his hair, / Ripping off and throwing away his fine clothes like something foul.” (VIII. 57-58). This is when Gilgamesh takes out on a journey of his own. He commands a “... blacksmith, lapidary, metal worker, goldsmiths,

jeweler!

/ Make an image of my friend, Such as no one ever made of his friend!” (VIII. 61-63) He then creates “... the ultimate resting place, in a perfect resting place…” (VIII. 64-65) for Enkidu to lay. Gilgamesh feeling so passionate about the influence Enkidu left on him, he feels the needs to make sure Enkidu’s legacy lives on forever. This being the reason Gilgamesh starts his journey “ Towards Utanapishtim…” (IX.7) to find a way to become immortal. Gilgamesh first comes in counter with “[...the scorpion monsters who guard the gateway to the sun’s passage through the mountains.]” (IX) who told him he has 12 hours to pass through the tunnel. When Gilgamesh get to the end, “ He went forward, seeing the trees of the gods./ The carnelian bore its fruit,/ Like bunches of grapes dangling, lovely to see…” (IX.77-79) basically rebirthing Gilgamesh like in the bible when Adam and Eve ate from the tree in the garden. From then, Gilgamesh makes it to the tavern of Siduri, who is at first frightened of Gilgamesh, but sees the pain he’s going through and is willing to talk to

him. Gilgamesh says to her, “ After death I could find no life….” (X.63) and he continued to tell her how he wandered the steppe and then ask, “May I not see that death I constantly fear!” (X.66) but Siduri informs him, “ The eternal life you are seeking you shall not find.” (X.69) In other words, because Gilgamesh is only Two parts god he can not withhold eternal life. The gods purposely created man to die to generate balance throughout the earth. Finally Gilgamesh makes it to Utanapishtim, since Siduri could not give him what he was looking for, and as he was told before there is no way for him to be immortal. Eventually after Gilgamesh understands that there's nothing he can do, Urshanabi, the boatman, took Gilgamesh;

Let his body be rinsed clean.

Let his headband be new,

Have him put on raimet worthy of him.

Until he reaches his city,

Until he complete his journey,

Let his garments stay spotless, fresh and new. (X.260-265) cleansing Gilgamesh from all negativity and hate. This was the new beginning for Gilgamesh.
Looking back, in the beginning of The Epic, Gilgamesh was greedy and selfish but after forming a relationship with Enkidu and traveling across the middle east, Gilgamesh becomes a fantastic king. Although Gilgamesh never truly finds happiness, through meeting Enkidu and proclaiming his fame, he finds enlightenment through self discovery. It took Gilgamesh meeting many gods, goddess, demi gods and monsters to find out what type of king he wanted to be, but in the end he leaves a legacy.