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Hirsuteness and the Walls of Uruk. By: Bailey, Karina, and Kelsey. Enkidu’s Hairy State. First seen in the beginning of Gilgamesh Enkidu is roaming with the animals and is literally hairy. Symbolizes Enkidu’s animal nature; his innocence before he becomes human.
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Hirsuteness and the Walls of Uruk By: Bailey, Karina, and Kelsey
Enkidu’s Hairy State • First seen in the beginning of Gilgamesh • Enkidu is roaming with the animals and is literally hairy. • Symbolizes Enkidu’s animal nature; his innocence before he becomes human. • Once the prostitute shaves him, he loses his innocence and becomes human. • Reinforces the theme of becoming human because losing his hair gives Enkidu his humanity. And the events following cause him shame and death which are all human experiences.
More Hirsuteness • Hirsuteness is also seen when Gilgamesh is on his journey to bring back Enkidu. • Gilgamesh wears animal pelts • Gilgamesh becomes like an animal because of his grief over the loss of Enkidu. • He acts strangely during his journey; not reasoning, only focused on getting immortality. • Siduri, the barmaid, tries to get Gilgamesh to take off the pelts and move on, but he is not ready to.
Even More Hirsuteness • Stuck in the past, not ready to get over Enkidu’s death; not living like a human. • Urshanabi finally burns the pelts that Gilgamesh wore and he can return back home as a human, not an animal. • Gilgamesh can begin to move on with his life.
The Walls of Uruk • Symbolize the great accomplishments that mortals are capable of. • First seen in the beginning • Gilgamesh makes his people build walls and tear them down continuously. • Shows Gilgamesh’s control and oppression of his people • Shows that Gilgamesh had no point to his life and that he was bored.
More Walls of Uruk • Also seen at the end of the epic when Gilgamesh returns home. • Shows what the mortals did while he was away. • While Gilgamesh was away, acting deranged because of his grief, the people actually accomplished more than they did when he was there. • Ironic because Gilgamesh is part god and their ruler. • Also shows how Gilgamesh has changed because he is finally able to marvel at the walls and appreciate his people’s work.
Works Cited • www.sparknotes.com • www.wikipedia.org • Gilgamesh by Herbert Mason