Tablet 12 and Conclusions:

This Tablet seems more like an alter reality because we all know that Enkidu is dead. Though it was interesting to see the two companions united again. I read some notes at the end of the book and it explains that the story about Gilgamesh Enkidu and the Netherworld is based on a poem.

I enjoyed seeing Enkidu and Gilgamesh in a sense reunited for this poem. I t felt like a moment of the death of Enkidu that we missed. It was also like even though Gilgamesh warned him not to do many things he didn't listen and did them anyway. Enkidu went into the Netherworld knowing what not to do and yet did them. It goes back to the death of Enkidu because there was nothing Gilgamesh could have done to make it easier because there is no true way to prepare for something no one knows what is is like.

We see again how their companionship is very important to both. When Gilgamesh seeks the help of the gods to help him bring Enkidu back from the city of the dead, we see how he goes everywhere just to help his friend:

pg 89

With these word Gilgamesh would ask the gods to bring back his friend. After Ea agreed, he was able to talk to Enkidu for the last time before he went to join the dead. They talked about the different dead people Enkidu saw and what it was like. It felt like the last goodbye between the two characters, which I really liked. The conversation between the two characters tells Gilgamesh that if you left people to remember you in life, your death will not be painful. This goes back to being remembered, one of Gilgamesh's biggest fears. It was weird how they said it in the book but I agree that those who leave you behind never forget you because of the big impression you made to them while you were alive will stay with them when you are gone.

Conclusions:

I really enjoyed reading this book. The topics like death and companionship in the story were fun to explore through the characters because of the insight they gave us. Gilgamesh being fearful of death showed me how death is something I am not frightened of and how it is something that cant be avoided no matter how hard we try. The friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu shows how important it is to have someone by you who supports you but not to depend on that person too much.

This is the first ancient text I have ever read and it was a great experience. I felt I got a image of what life was like in those times. I also saw how much this book influenced later novels like the Iliad and The Odyssey, which affects our modern writing. This insight to past culture was enthralling because I saw how the gods played a big part of their day to day life and how fate was in the hands of immortals rather that yourself.

I hope other ancient texts have such a good insight into culture as The Epic of Gilgamesh did and that they make me realize things I hadn't given much thought to.

¨Two people,companions, they can prevail together against the terror.¨