1.
Contemplate
Gilgamesh’s strengths and weaknesses. Consider at least five of each and give
your justification for each.
Strengths
1.2/3 God and 1/3 man-obvious advantage
2.Ability to love deeply-Enkidu
3.strongWrestled Enkidu, the Bull of Heaven, pushed Urshanabi’s boat by
pole to the Heaven of the Gods.
4. adventurous-heads out on two journeys
5. Willing to change
6. Desires to be a good king-returns to Uruk willing to share the plant
that bestows eternal life
7. Can stand up to the demands of the Gods-Spurns the advances of
Ishtar
8. Truth seeker-Searches for Utnapishtim to find secret of eternal life
9.Accepts his fate of mortality-when the snake steals the plant
10. Builder of Uruk-the strong walls and the temple
11. wise-narrator proclaims him as such
12. Fast-covers 450 miles on foot in three days
13. Seeks counsel from his mother-before his journey to kill Humbaba
14. Humbles himself before the gods when he needs help-petitions Shamash
15. compassionate-momentarily moved by compassion for Humbaba
Weaknesses
1.Arrogant-intent on leaving his own legacy at any cost.
2.Takes advantage of being king-oppresses his people
3.Willing to murder, plunder to create his legacy-kill Humbaba, take
the precious cedar from the forest
4.Immoral-demands intimacy with the new brides, and any woman he so
desires.
5.Creates false alarm for his own amusement-sounds the tocsin
6. Depends too much on Enkidu
7. Laughed at the advice of the counselors-responds, “How shall I
answer them; shall I say I am afraid of Humbaba, I will sit at home all the
rest of my days?”
8. Won’t take no for an answer-refuses to comply with the demands of
Siduru and Urshanabi
9. A liar-tells Utnapishtum that he didn’t fall asleep. Utnapishtum
knows that he needs evidence to prove to Gilgamesh that he fell asleep.
10. boastful-bragged of his conquest of Humbaba before the adventure
2. Be able to tell the key points of the story
of Gilgamesh-story of King of Uruk The Epic of Gilgamesh is
the story of King Gilgamesh of Uruk who oppresses his people. As punishment,
the gods send him a companion, Enkidu, who is his mirror image and becomes his
good friend. Together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu defy the gods by killing the giant
Humbaba, cutting down the sacred cedar forest which he guards, and killing the
Bull of Heaven. Enkidu has ominous dreams of the destiny of tyrants who become
slaves in the House of Death. Enkidu finally dies of an illness sent by the
gods. Horrified by Enkidu's death and the prospect of his own demise, Gilgamesh
undertakes a quest for immortality which brings him to the abode of
Utnapishtim, a virtuous man who obeys the gods and was saved by them from the
Great Flood. Utnapishtim puts Gilgamesh to various tests which he fails and
eventually sends him away, assuring him that he cannot escape death. A humbled
Gilgamesh returns to Uruk and orders his story to be inscribed in stone.
3.
Consider
the elements of the epic journey (should
be in your notes)-how did Gilgamesh fit each stage of the cycle.
a.
The character -Gilgamsh
b.
Place to go-The Cedar Forest
c.
A stated reason to go-slay Humbaba, gather timber to
build a gate
d.
Challenges or trial en route during the journey-weak
resolve
e.
The real reason for the journey-create a legacy
4. Give
descriptions of each of the main characters: Gilgamesh, 2/3 god, 1/3 man, king of uruk Ninsun, mother of Gilgamesh Enkidu, wild man tamed by temple harlot,
created by the gods to be a match for Gilgamesh, Utnapishtum, Biblical name is
Noah, saved all mankind, referred to as father. Urshabani, Siduri-keeper of
wine and brew
5. Compare The Epic version of the flood to
the Biblical version of the flood. How many differences, how many similarities?
Different boat dimensions, Bible lists
Noah’s family, and man was destroyed for wickeness-Eof G-Noah takes gold,
animals, man was too loud.How many other flood narratives are there? At least 12(In your notes)
6. Give descriptions of Gilgamesh’s two great
journeys-1. To Cedar Forest to slay keeper Humbaba, Enkidu was his companion,
traveled a great journey 2. Journey to find Utnapistum, stops at Mashu
encounters Scorpion men, travels leagues of darkness, meets Siridu, and
Urshabani and Utnapishtum
7. Give several themes for the epic;
manipulative gods, brotherly love, search for everlasting life, mortality,
human limitations, kingly abuse, role of women
8. Give several symbols from the epic,
gates as passage ways, monsters as our own fears, serpent-thief of everlasting
life, Biblical/garden of eden symbol, bread-life giving, seize the day for life
passes quickly, sleep, ritual bathing
9. Give several motifs from the epic-dreams,
repetition, journey, conquering, quest
10. Be prepared to interpret significant
passages in the book:
“Will you listen to me: I have a long journey to go, to the Land of
Humbaba, I must travel and unknown road and fight a strange battle. From the
day I go until I return, till I reach the cedar forest and destroy the evil
which Shamash abhors, pray for me to Shamash.”
Gil pleading with his mother before his journey.
“Do not trust too much in your own strength, be watchful,
restrain your blows at first” The counselors of Uruk before he starts his
journey to the Cedar Forest.
“As for you,
Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day,
dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe
yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your
wife happy in your embrace; for this too is the lot of man.” Siduri to Gil at
the beginning of his quest for everlasting life.
11. Find parallels in the events of Gilgamesh to
modern day life: Utnapishtum’s test of Gilgamesh, diving for the plant of
eternal life, Gilgamesh’s changes
12. Contemplate the reasons why or why not
Gilgamesh achieved his goal of immortality.
13. Know the five main gods and their domain
Enlil
–god of earth
ARuru-goddesss
of creation
Shamash-god
of sun
Ishtar
goddess of love
Anu
god of the sky
Ea-the
goddess of wisdom
Thanks so much! this saved me!!
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