Gilgamesh's Trials and Tribulations

Gilgamesh's call to adventure happens with the death of his friend Enkidu. Anu and Enlil say "They have slaughtered the Bull of Heaven and killed Humbaba, watchman of the cedar forest. Therefore, one of the two of them must die . Enkidu, not Gilgamesh, is the one who must die," (141). This quote states that Enkidu must be punished for his and Gilgamesh's actions, and die of a malady. This is how and why Enkidu dies instead of Gilgamesh. This quote marks the starting point to the beginning of Gilgamesh's first and last journey to the land of Utnapishtim. In another quote, Gilgamesh weeps, "Must I die to? Must I be as lifeless as Enkidu? How can I bear the sorrow that gnaws at my belly, this fear of death that restlessly drives me onward? If only I could find the one man whom the gods made immortal, I would ask him how to overcome death" (p.159). In other words, Gilgamesh is driven by the fear of death in order to somehow become immortal to escape his fate to one day die. Gilgamesh makes the realization that he could possibly become immortal if he visits the one man who, before, obtained immortality through the gods. The death of his friend Enkidu calls Gilgamesh on a fruitless quest to obtain immortality, however, he cannot become immortal for the gods have decreed it so. This is how Gilgamesh is frightened by death and tries to escape his ultimate fate.
             Gilgamesh finally comes to terms with death when he is helped by others in order to meet Utnapishtim. In response to Gilgamesh's journey to find eternal life and his road of trials, Shiduri helps Gilgamesh realize that he has to embrace death, and live his life to the fullest, instead of wasting his time seeking for a fruitless cause: "Gilgamesh, where are you roaming? You will never find the eternal life that you seek. When the gods created mankind, they also created death, and they held back eternal life for themselves alone.