MrEko Was Our Modern-Day Enkidu

[Desmond8MyPopRocks]

Originally posted on The Black Rock:
Joined: Oct 24, 2006
Posts: 114
Location: Sunny California
 Post subject: MrEko's Death--he was our modern day Enkidu
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:59 pm   

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In S2, Collision, Locke is working on a crossword puzzle in which the clue is "Gilgamesh's companion" and the answer was "Enkidu...." It wasn't until S03E05 The Cost of Living that we found what the story meant and how it pertained to the dynamics between MrLocke and MrEko.

Mr. Enkidu in The Epic of Gilgamesh:


Enkidu is the quintessential savage person in the beginning of the epic:

the short version of the long story is that Enkidu was a man of the wild, protecting the wild animals from trappers. Trappers appealed to Gilgamesh to intervene, but Gilgamesh refused, only asking that they take a woman to Enkidu (as temptation) to remove him from his beastly ways. Ultimately, it worked and Enkidu became "civilized" and he and Gilgamesh became brothers of faith, if you will.

Later in the Epic, Enkidu assists Gilgamesh in his fight against the guardian monster of the Cedar forest. Enkidu kills several in the name of righteousness (despite his initial repulse for the idea), but ultimately dies to pay for his sins. The monster of the Cedar forest can only kill one--either Gilgamesh or Enkidu and it is ultimately Enkidu who will pay. The gods passed judgment that Enkidu had no justification for killing, so Gilgamesh was spared and it was Enkidu who bought the farm.

Before Enkidu died, he whispered to Gilgamesh that he too will pay for his sins. In the Third Tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh, it is told that Enkidu ventures into the underworld, although it is believed by scholars that it was not part of the original Sumarian story and was later added.

In the end, Enkidu's death provided Gilgamesh with the drive to seek eternal life and happiness--it set him forth on his quest.


In LOST, MrLocke is Gilgamesh and MrEko was Enkidu--who refused to confess his sins and paid the ultimate price--judgment was passed and he was killed. Gilgamesh avenged Enkidu's death by judgment--but not through death, by searching for peaceful existence and eternal life.

Chew on that, Losties. MrEko's place in the LOST plot storyline was to advance MrLocke's search/quest--and to teach and remind him of and about about faith.
whatcha think?

cheers
*Des8
_________________
"I'm not a virgin but I still have the original box it came in"
 

[Michelle13]

I absolutely LOVE your thoughts on Lost and connections to other stuff. You're a great poster Des8!!! 

[PrincessLeia]

very insightful.  I was familiar with the Epic of Gilgamesh, but reading it here highlights the many parallels.

[uofapiglet]

Like always, great post Des8... You just brought me back all the way to my high school sophomore English class, that was the first time I read The Epic of Gilgamesh... and I think the last time I even glanced at it was probably for some art history or religious course in college.

The relationship between Locke and Eko has always been one of shared faith. I always thought that Eko was there to help guide Locke as clearly shown in the episode where Locke ruefully looks at Eko and says, "I was wrong." However, it never occurred to me to make that Gilgamesh-Enkidu connection. I had a feeling the Gilgamesh story would probably surface sooner or later but not in the way as you have so eloquently touched on the subject here in this post.

To me, Locke and Eko reminded me more of Robinson Crusoe and his Man Friday, respectively. Of course, the religious underpinnings and island-survival-instincts are still present in that relationship as well (except for the part about Eko being a native I guess, because that would make him an other).

Always a pleasure to discuss literature and Lost...

[daisyrain]

Cool post, Locke is definately one of the key characters - I think his journey will tell us more about the island than the other Losties, besides Hurley who is central  to the numbers. To have a character like Eko introduced and then killed, all for the benefit of Lockes journey is a really well thought out storyline, love Locke and I loved Eko - the two were a great team.

[Desmond8MyPopRocks]

An addendum to this topic?

I stated here that I thought Locke was the central character in the LOST as it pertained to the  Epic of Giglamesh and I stand by it.


Doc Arzt has a similar theory out there now, but I planted my flag in the sand long ago.

cheers
*Des8