Question

How do the relationships and interactions between Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and other
characters shape the themes you selected in Part A? Choose all that apply.
A. Gilgamesh's bond with Enkidu teaches him the value of friendship and changes him
from a selfish ruler into someone more compassionate.
B. Enkidu's death forces Gilgamesh to confront mortality, leading him to search for
immortality and ultimately accept human limits.
C. Gilgamesh defeats every challenge alone, proving that friendship is unnecessary to
achieve greatness.
D. Gilgamesh's encounter with Utnapishtim shows him that human beings cannot escape

Answer 1

Correct: A, B, and D.

- A — Yes. Enkidu’s friendship humanizes Gilgamesh: together they restrain his tyranny, share adventures (Humbaba, Bull of Heaven), and Gilgamesh becomes more compassionate and self-aware because of that bond.
- B — Yes. Enkidu’s death is the catalyst for Gilgamesh’s confrontation with mortality: it launches his quest for immortality and, after failing, leads him to accept human limits and seek meaning in legacy and wise rule.
- D — Yes. Utnapishtim functions as the foil who explains the gods’ gift of mortality and shows that eternal life is not for ordinary humans (the flood story, the failed test, and the lost plant), reinforcing the theme that humans cannot escape death.
- C — No. The epic shows the opposite: many successes depend on friendship and cooperation, and Gilgamesh’s growth comes through his relationship with Enkidu rather than solitary triumph.