Transcript The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh
Who Is Gilgamesh?
• Like most epics, The Epic
of Gilgamesh is based to
some degree on fact.
– Scholars believe that
Gilgamesh was a Sumerian
king who ruled over the
city-state of Uruk around
2700 B.C.
• In the centuries following
his death, stories about
him grew.
– Through this oral tradition
of storytelling, Gilgamesh
developed over time into a
figure of legendary
proportions.
What Is The Epic of Gilgamesh?
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is one
of the oldest works of
literature in existence.
– The earliest versions of the story
date back over 4,000 years
(more than 1,000 years before
the Illiad and the Odyssey or the
first books of the Bible).
• The text deals with modern
themes, such as: friendship,
heroism, mortality, and the
desire to control one’s destiny.
The Story:
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is told in two parts:
– Part One:
• In the tale, Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, is two parts
god and one part human.
• In the first part of the story, Gilgamesh explores his
godlike side—using superhuman powers, he
performs amazing feats and even defies the gods.
• At this point, Gilgamesh’s flaws include: he is
arrogant, boastful, selfish, and destructive—
representing both the best and worst that a person
can be.
The Story Continued:
– Part Two:
• Gilgamesh explores the human side of his
character as he faces unexpected limitations of his
power.
– These limitations not only show his human weaknesses,
but they also give him the opportunity to develop human
strengths.
• (Note: this part of the epic also contains a flood
story remarkably like the one in the Bible).
What Literary Forms Are in
Gilgamesh?
• Obviously, from looking at the title, Gilgamesh is
an epic (it is celebrating the exploits of
Gilgamesh); however, it is also one of the oldest
quest stories in existence.
– We already know that in a quest story, a hero goes
on a journey and tries to achieve a goal, such as
bringing back a valuable object or attaining
knowledge.
– The main character of a quest story, a quest hero,
has special powers or special friends that help (or
hinder) him or her on the journey.
Discussion Questions:
Please copy down the following
questions and answer them, in
complete sentences, as you come
across them in the reading:
Discussion Questions:
1. Enkidu has a dream before he dies.
What does he learn in this dream?
2. Why does Gilgamesh feel both sad and
frightened when Enkidu dies?
3. Who is Utnapishtim and why does
Gilgamesh want to find him?
Discussion Questions Continued:
4. How does Utnapishtim help Gilgamesh?
5. What does Gilgamesh lose on his way home at
the end of the selection?
6. Why do you think the story ends with
Gilgamesh proudly showing Urshanabi the city
of Uruk?