Despite the gushing description of Gilgamesh in the prologue, the first chapter makes him an evil king. He is no King Arthur of the Round Table fighting for peace, justice, and chivalry. Instead he forces his men to fight and work until physical exhaustion, and the women treated as his to personally do with as he pleases. There is no sign of the hero. Even the gods of the city he rules start to wonder what to do with such a formidable man.
They decide to make him an equal that will fight him and hopefully tame the out of control king. What comes of the creation is the wild man Enkidu who lives in the forest. There is a long tradition of these kind of nature living humans. His body is covered in hair and he eats only grass and drinks milk. Modern legends of such men-beasts can be found in the stories of Bigfoot or the Yeti who wonder in forests just out of reach. Powerful as he might be, Enkidu is innocent and ignorant of the ways of humankind. He prefers the company of beasts that his lifestyle imitates. His ways are in contrast to the cultured urbanites who eat bread and drink wine, both foods that take time to make.
Recognizing the potential for Enkidu to take on Gilgamesh as a defense, the people of Uruk send a woman to tame him. There are slight similarities to the Adam and Eve story, where the man is tempted by the woman. Eventually through the charms of a beautiful temptress, Enkidu gives up paradise in search of the city. He hears of the great Gilgamesh and wishes to confront this powerful equal. The hopes of the people of Uruk are in this once wild man. When he enters the city, everyone is amazed by his powerful build and wonder if this is the one who can save them.
Notice the repetition of dialogue. One character says something, and another reports it to an important figure or god in hopes of transmitting these words to those who can use them. Remember, this story came from ancient oral tradition. There could have been singing and instruments as part of the story telling. Like stanzas of music, there can be repetitions of words for emphasis on ideas or images. This can help the listener recognize what the artist considered important. It can also act as a bridge between two scenes where location has changed. Either way, the point is for the reader or listener to remember.
Something unexpected happens when the two powerful characters final end up battling with each other. Enkidu was created as an antagonist to the great Gilgamesh who abused his position as king. They fight a tremendous battle, but recognizing similarities they end up great friends. Challenging expectations seems to be a highlight of this chapter. The hero starts out as a tyrant. A challenger lives among the wild animals with at first not a care in the world about his opponent. Two enemies become friends and natural illies. A lesson for writers from this is to introduce surprises. It can keep the story fresh and interesting, rather than typical and boring. Be careful because the readers shouldn't be lied to with expectations, but they need to feel like the text is fresh and different from others.
Writing Assignments:
Think of two very different people, such as where they are from, what they like, etc. Write a short story about what happens when they first meet. What brought them together? Will they be friends or enemies? What similarities do they discover about each other?
Songs are types of poetry, often telling mini-stories. Listen to your favorite song or album. Go through each stanza and explain the images, feelings, and actions and how they work together to tell a story. Describe the story they are trying to tell.
Look up the parts of a song to get an idea how they are built. Write your own song with a chorus and any other types of versus to tell a story. Keep in mind rhythm and beat as you put down the words. It can be a short song or an epic ballad. For even more challenge if capable alone or with someone who knows how, put those words to actual music.
Vocabulary:
lament
savage
jostled
thronged
bridegroom
watchman
byer
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