Who’s This Enkidu Character?

Enkidu is a wild-man. Literally. He was formed from clay by Aruru, the goddess of creation. The other god’s feared that Gilgamesh was too powerful and no living man (or woman) could stand up to him. Enkidu was then raised by animals, and got sustenance from grass and sucking the milk of wild beasts. He was hairy and completely uncivilized, not even aware that he wasn’t an animal.

Enter the gods, ready to tame Enkidu and send him on his way to become Gilgamesh’s sidekick. The gods send a holy temple prostitute to tame him. (Holy Temple Prostitute, Batman!) If the phrase “holy temple prostitute” throws you, remember that in ancient Sumerian culture, prostitutes were priestesses, and were highly respected. Having relations with them was not considered dirty or low, but an act of submission to the gods, many of whom were females. Women represented home and hearth, and, in this epic, the idea of mortality.

So they send this prostitute, and Enkidu has sex with her for 6 days straight. (Dude is straight up gangsta.) His lusts finally satisfied, he rolls off and realizes that the animals no longer recognize him as one of their own. By having congress with a woman, Enkidu is becoming civilized. Though today sex is often seen as degrading or basic, then it was considered a sign of higher self-awareness. He is now an awakened man, and he soon learns about, in addition to women, music, food and festivals, all the things that make society civil.

His transformation from beast to man is completed when he and the prostitute visit a farmer and Enkidu drinks beer and has his first taste of cooked meat. He immediately bursts into song, grabs a sword, puts on some people clothes, and makes his way to the city to meet the mighty Gilgamesh, tyrant king of Uruk.

So, just to recap: if you’re a hairy man-beast, all you need to become civilized is to bang a hooker, gnaw on a hunk of grilled animal flesh and down a cold one. I think I’m starting to see why this tale has stood the test of time.

Anyway, Enkidu’s time as a sidekick is just about to start. Over in Uruk, Gilgamesh, as king, is preparing to take a bride to bed before her new husband can, because, you know, he’s the king. Despite the townsfolk being appalled and generally thinking Gilgamesh is a douche, no one stands up to him. Enter Enkidu.