Final answer:
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods created Enkidu to counterbalance Gilgamesh's tyranny and to lead him on a path of personal growth and improved leadership. This reflects the Mesopotamian view of direct divine intervention in human affairs to maintain order and to serve larger themes of mortality and the human condition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh created a second man named Enkidu to be a counterpart to Gilgamesh because of Gilgamesh's arrogance and tyranny. The Mesopotamian gods often acted based on very human emotions and desires, such as anger and annoyance, and were known to interact with human affairs in direct and impactful ways.
In the case of Gilgamesh, his oppressive reign over the city of Uruk led to complaints from its citizens, prompting the gods to create Enkidu, a wild man of equal strength, to challenge and ultimately befriend Gilgamesh, leading him to become a wiser and better king.
Through this action, the gods sought to temper Gilgamesh's actions and provide a path for his growth and improvement as a leader. This narrative reflects the Mesopotamian belief that deities could directly influence human lives, even to the point of creating life, to maintain balance and order.
The creation of Enkidu serves as a pivotal point in the story, sparking Gilgamesh's journey towards self-discovery and confrontation with the human condition, especially the concept of mortality.
Thus, the creation of Enkidu by the gods serves as both a solution to the immediate problem of Gilgamesh's tyranny and a catalyst for exploring deeper philosophical themes within the epic.