Dreams of Interpretation

Enkidu and Gilgamesh follow the path to the Cedar forest as no other human would. They walk in three days what a normal person would travel in three weeks. “The two of them traveled fifty leagues a day, never resting except at night trying to rest, stopping only once a day to eat; in three days’ walk a hundred and fifty leagues, a three weeks’ walk for an ordinary man.” -Pg. 21 The author shows how these travelers are completely out of the ordinary in what has to do with physical resistance and cooperation. Through their travel to the cedar forest, each one helps with what he is good at. They both dug a well to drink, Enkidu constructed a shelter for them to sleep and Gilgamesh prayed to the gods for protection. The story shows how it is easier to survive through team work and cooperation.

At night, both Enkidu and Gilgamesh have dreams which involve being damaged by a greater power, which they interpret as Huwawa. “In the dream I had; a great bull was thrashing over my body in glory, and bellowing over me, me helpless in the ground; the breath of the bull snout breathed on me.” This is a historical example of how dreams have always been part of our human culture especially what has to do with their interpretations. Some cultures give more importance to dreams than others. The travelers think these dreams are fortunate because they mean they can destroy Huwawa in battle and that they have Shamash’s blessing. Through these tablets there is a lot of repetition in what has to do with their activities and responses to their actions and feelings.

In accordance with the first three tablets, the story shows its close relationship to the gods, which are useful and beneficial to Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Gilgamesh is praying and asking for help throughout their journey which shows how we look for the gods’ help when we feel it necessary. “Gilgamesh, weeping, prayed to the god Shamash: “Be mindful of the promise asked in Uruk. Guard and protect those who go on your errand, to kill the daemon hateful to the god. Protect us as we pass through fearfulness.” ” –Pg. 25 Gilgamesh also shows that it doesn’t matter how brave, tough and majestic you are, you will always have doubts that can only be answered by your beliefs. Another aspect of self-awareness in the text is how people who are in great terror seek their own words for assurance of what they are doing. “ “The life of man is short.” “Helpless is he who enters the forest.” “Protect us as we pass through fearfulness.” “Where is the strength, the courage?” ” -Pg. 26 “Two people, companions, can prevail the together against the terror.” –Pg. 27 This was the secret to their victory, the awareness that anything is possible and that you are capable of doing anything.

Through their victory, I learned how one can achieve one’s goals only through perseverance. Will the gods give more tests to these two travelers? Where is the book trying to head us to? What will the people of Uruk think about their victory?