The Art of War Journal

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ENGL 2332

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Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s Spontaneous Trust

I was confused by Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s quarrel. A man with such haughtiness and power finds a man who is equally as powerful and befriends him. I was expecting a fight to the death; a “this world ain’t big enough for the both of us” type of situation. Granted they did fight at first, but, shortly after, they gained each other’s trust (Anonymous 6). After Enkidu was thrown by Gilgamesh, Enkidu’s rage promptly withered away as he said, “There is not another like you in the world” (Anonymous 6). I did not like this part of the poem because it did not seem very realistic to me. Gilgamesh and Enkidu both know what each other are capable of. Either one of them could wreak havoc at any moment, yet they choose to come to terms with their powers and trust that each of them will stay loyal to one another. I have never heard or seen this kind of spontaneous trust before. It does not make sense to me.

The idea that mankind is innately trustworthy and forgiving is flawed. I would understand if Gilgamesh and Enkidu slowly became friends over time, but the immediacy of their friendship, after having destroyed the fight scene, is illogical. Mankind is naturally envious and competitive. It would be understandable if the reason they became friends is because they both know it would be futile to try to destroy one another and their friendship was purely passive aggressive one-upmanship. But that is not the way it is. Their friendship is sincere.

Works Cited

Anonymous. The Epic Of Gilgamesh. Ed. Sanders, N.K. Assyrian International News Agency.