Tablets 9 and 10:

Grieving is all over Tablets 9 and 10. First we see how Gilgamesh travels to see Utnapishtim, to find out how death can be avoided. I feel he dresses and acts the way he does on the journey to keep the memory of Enkidu alive. The description given by the novel is that he is a "hairy-bodies man, a wanderer, who was wearing animal skin," just like Enkidu at the beginning of the novel.

I noticed that in these tablets, Gilgamesh is described fearful in certain moments:

"Terror in the body of Gilgamesh

seized hold of him from within and held him there

in terror.But then in terror, he went forward."

pg 50

This is the first time Gilgamesh is afraid. When he is talking to the heads in the Mahu mountain. I believe he is truly afraid of being alone and without his companion. Togethter they prevailed not so much because of their strength but because they held each other up. Coming face to face with a monster on your own, after having battled with a companion at your side always, is a hard change our character must go through. Maybe it´s relating it to real life how humans must find a way to go on and feel secure even after a loved one has passed.

Still, I believe Gilgamesh´s number one fear is death.

"Enkidu has undergone the fate

the high gods have established for mankind.

I saw the worm drop out of Enkidus nose.

Must I die too? Must I too be like that?"

pg 63

Even a natural process like death is hard to assimilate for some people. Even today there are those who try to look younger and those who can´t accept death. I find that I am different from Gilgamesh in this point of view. I don´t believe death is an underworld with dead kings and priests, I believe it´s a place where I can find utter peace. To me death is something natural none of us can avoid, which is why I agreed with the old man in tablet 10 when he responded to Gilgamesh saying:

pg 64