Gilgamesh's character is something a reader might question after reading the first half of the epic, because Gilgamesh is forceful and acts as if he answers to no one. Another characteristic of Gilgamesh's personality is his dependency on companionship from Enkidu.

Early in the epic it is shown how sovereign the people think Gilgamesh's rule is: "There was no withstanding the aura or power of the Wild Ox Gilgamesh. Neither the father's son nor the wife of the noble; neither the mother's daughter nor the warrior's bride was safe."(I ii 31-34) This passage proves the people know he is a strong man. It also shows us that the people do not find it surprising if Gilgamesh starts to become involved with another man's wife. Another time, we find Gilgamesh is going to take the bride of

a man if Enkidu does not intervene and stop him (II&III iii 60-70). These are only a few of the times Gilgamesh's character loses its status among the readers. Actions similar to these also made the elders question his leadership: "Is this the shepherd of the people? Is this the wise shepherd, protector of the people?"(I ii 35-36) They obviously thought he was not up to par in his duties as a king.

The text does not reveal what happens to Gilgamesh after he gets back to his city setting of Uruk. Based on his change of character throughout the epic we can make a judgment on how he will rule as king. Will he go back to being the foolish hero or will he be the wise king the elders wished he had been? I believe Gilgamesh ruled as a knowledgeable king because he is no longer foolish. He has faced and accepted the harsh reality that as humans we cannot have power over everything. Gilgamesh realizes he too will die and this is what he was ignorant of before. This is what made him full of terror and cold-hearted toward his people. There are some readers that might say Gilgamesh would not treat his kingdom any different, but to these people I have to ask: What do you say about Gilgamesh's character progression? You cannot ignore how he reacts to things different after the turning point of the epic, Enkidu's death. By the end of the epic, Gilgamesh has become a knowledgeable king who exemplifies what the elders of Uruk questioned if was earlier: a wise shepherd.

It is surprising that with a person as dictating and forceful as Gilgamesh, he still longs for and needs human c

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Approximate Word count = 1076
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)