Monday, January 31, 2011

The Archetypal Friendship

The Epic of Gilgamesh sets the president for many books and themes today. This epic touches over love, greed and violence. Yet, the most prominent message is that of companionship. Enkidu and Gilgamesh together, make up the ultimate archetype of friendship.

Enkidu and Gilgamesh become friends in a way that only is deep and serious. They fight in a battle that would have resulted in a death except the two of them become the best of friends. Enkidu realizes that Gilgamesh deserves to be the leader and submits to his might. Although they are both fierce warriors and strong combaters, the two men realize that they are meant to be more like kin than like enemies. Enkidu becomes a brother-like figure to Gilgamesh and together, under the blessing of Gilgamesh’s mother, they face the world.

This friendship sets the stage for friendships in all sorts of stories. This way of blossoming friendship has become stereotypical: people start out as enemies and then end up as the best of friends. This archetype of friendship holds roots can be traced back to The Epic of Gilgamesh.

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