Enkidu The Noble Savage Analysis - 929 Words

In the article â€Å"Enkidu – the Noble Savage?†, the authors Aage Westenholz and Ulla Koch-Westenholz examine the characteristics of Enkidu. They mention that not many people actually delve into Enkidu because they only recognize Enkidu as Gilgamesh’s friend. However, the authors realize that there is more to Enkidu than just Gilgamesh’s friend, and they mention that he is also seen by some as a â€Å"noble savage† and even an undeveloped subhuman. For the next few pages, they analyze the text and what happens with Enkidu. They explain that Enkidu was originally created to stand up to the strong king Gilgamesh, and Enkidu was raised in the steppe, not knowing what human civilization is. When he met Shamhat and laid with her for six days, he was†¦show more content†¦When the authors explained further why he could be considered a â€Å"noble savage† with the first moment he had with a human and the animals he had lived with shunned hi m. He considered the wilderness to be his Garden of Eden, and while he was on his deathbed he cursed and blessed Shamash the harlot when she led him away from his Garden. This supports the authors’ conclusion that Enkidu is not a â€Å"noble savage† or a subhuman beast, but he is a tragic figure who was tricked from leaving his Paradise and entering the human world as a misfit. My Reaction: While I was reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, I was very interested in Enkidu and his journey, so when I found this article I was excited to read it. I did, however, have to look up what a noble savage was. After a little bit of research, I found out that a noble savage is someone who is uncivilized and is a symbol of the goodness of one who has not yet been exposed to civilization and its corrupting influence it has on people. After being able to truly understand what a noble savage is, I could understand the authors’ reasoning as to why Enkidu could be considered a noble savage. While reading how they analyzed the text regarding Enkidu, it helped me understand more about his character. They were able to convey his transition from being in the wilderness to being in civilization, going from only knowing animals, to knowing a harlot and having a friend in Gilgamesh. Through their analysis, I was