The Epic of Gilgamesh

History

• Mesopotamia, 1900–

250 B.C.E.

• Gilgamesh, priest-

king of Uruk

• written in cuneiform

• Ur

• revised in Babylonian

The Work

• 12 Clay Tablets

Written in Akkadian and Semitic Languages (Hebrew and Arabic)

• Found in all Languages Written in Cuneiform

• Story Evolved over 1000 years

• Story Vanished –Names of Cities and People Disappeared

http://www.usfca.edu/westciv/Mesochro.htmld

Gilgamesh

• Gilgamesh was reintroduced to the

world when a portion of it,

Utnapishtim„s Story of the Flood, upon

which the biblical story of the flood is

based1, was accidentally discovered in

1872. Written 4000 years ago

• Since then, tablets containing other

parts of Gilgamesh have been found at

sites throughout the Middle East in

various cuneiform languages.

1. This is the opinion of the editors of Norton and thus

should be taken as just that—an opinion

Gilgamesh

• It is “an epic” like the Iliad,

the Odyssey and Beowulf.

– A long narrative poem

– Done in formal style

– About an extraordinary hero. . .

– who represents his culture.

Ur

Cuneiform

• wedge-shaped script

• 2100 B.C.E.

• clay tablets

• Sumerians

• length

• content: historic, mythic

• motifs

• divine intervention

• heroic flaw

• orality and performance, writing

• language

Elements of Epic Writing

• death and friendship

• nature and civilization

• power and violence

• travel and homecoming

• love and sexuality

• physical and intellectual journeys

Binary Themes

Flood Myths

Consider the etymology of the name

“Gilgamesh” (“the old man is still a young

man” OR “the offspring is a hero”). Is

Gilgamesh‟s name significant, despite the

fact that he loses the plant that would

return him to his youth? In what ways is it

a fitting name despite his failure in the

quest for immortality. How, in fact, has he

actually accomplished immortality?

Discussion Questions

Throughout The Epic of Gilgamesh, many

dreams occur, and often their meaning is

unclear, or at least inscrutable for the

characters who have them. Is there a

general unity of the dreams? What is their

purport? Do they come from the gods? Are

they true? Are they good?

Discussion Questions