Quotes for Themes

The hero's companion- everyone needs someone. You don't just go on fight alone. You have to have a sidekick. Batman and Robin. Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. “He turned to Enkidu who leaned against his shoulder and looked into his eyes and saw himself in the other, just as Enkidu saw himself in Gilgamesh. In the silence of the people they began to laugh and clutched each other in their breathless exaltation.” (pg. 24, Gilgamesh)
Love- you have love for best friends. Your not in love, but you love that person. You would do anything for them and protect them in whatever they do. Willing to die for that person. Exactly what Enkidu does.“Don’t be afraid, said Gilgamesh. We are together. There is nothing we should fear.” (pg. 28, Gilgamesh)
Loss of Innocence- Enkidu lost his innoconce because he slept with the prostitute. The animals leave him and is ashamed of him, but he is also ashamed of himself. "He became bitter in his tone again: Because of her. She made me see things as a man, and a man sees death in things. That is what it is to be a man. You'll know when you have lost the strength to see the way you once did... Why am I to die, You to wander on alone? Is that the way it is with friends." (pg. 49-50 Gilgamesh)
View of the Afterlife: pessimistic or optimistic- Gilgamesh is optimitistic because he thinks that he can bring back his friend's life and that everything will be fine. Utnapishtim is pessimistic because he didn't want to be immortal in the first place. But because he built the boat they granted him immortality. "G:You sometimes seem to have a downcast look as if the life you have round here still has failed to bring you peace. U: I did not come out of desire like you." (75 Gilgamesh)
Intervetion of the gods; gods relationship with mortals-“But a little hunger will replace their arrogance with new desire. Then Anu acceded to her wish. The Bull of Heaven descended to the earth and killed at once three hundred men, and then attacked King Gilgamesh.” (pg. 45, Gilgamesh) The gods intervine two times. When Isthar becomes angry and wants to send the Bull of Heaven and Au grants permission and when they had the great flood.
The Common Flood Story- The gods decieded to send down a great flood because the men wanted to be like the gods. They gods thought that was stupid and that no one can be like them. Similar to Noah's Ark. “The war god touched my forehead; he blessed my family and said: before this you were just a man, but now you and your wife shall be like gods. You shall live in the distance at the rivers’ mouth, at the source. I allowed myself to be taken far way from all that I had seen. Sometimes even in love we yearn to leave mankind. Only the loneliness of the Only One who never acts like gods is bearable.” (pg. 79, Gilgamesh)
Legacy- He comes back and sees the wall that was built for the proctection of his people. “He looked at the walls, awed at the heights his people achieved and for a moment-just a moment- all that lay behind him passed from view.” (pg. 92, Gilgamesh) His legacy is that wall will be there to protect the people and the king that will be after his death.