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2301 Study Guide for The Epic of Gilgamesh |
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| Click here to go to the Washington State web site for a summary of the epic. | The clay tablet that contains the story of Utnapishtim is on display in the British Museum. | |
| Read the "Site Description" to find out how this multimedia presentation about The Epic of Gilgamesh works and then click on Start. (The site uses a different translation of the epic, one that makes little effort to keep its language or its discussion of sexuality suitable for a classroom.) | ||
| Here are links to some self-scoring tests on the background and content of the epic: | ||
Introduction
1. |
In what kind of writing, using what material, was The Epic of Gilgamesh written? (See the picture above.) |
2. |
Where were the tablets containing the "Standard Version" of the epic found? How many tablets are there? |
3. |
About when did the real Gilgamesh live? When were the oral stories about him probably first written down? What was the stories' original language? When was the epic probably put together? |
4. |
The Standard Version was written down around 650 BCE. In what language was it written? |
Prologue
5. |
What is Gilgamesh's city called? |
6. |
Is Gilgamesh a god or a man? |
7. |
Who are Shamash and Ishtar? |
Part 1
8. |
What kind of king is Gilgamesh at first? What is he supposed to be like? (Look at what the people say he is not when they pray.) What solution do the gods provide? |
9. |
What kind of creature is Enkidu? How does he become fully human? How does he become civilized? (What does this suggest about human nature and sexuality?) |
10. |
When he has become a full human being, what does Enkidu decide to do? |
11. |
What does Gilgamesh learn from his dreams about the meteor and the axe? |
12. |
How do Gilgamesh and Enkidu become friends? |
Part 2
13. |
What is Gilgamesh's destiny? How does Enkidu know this? |
14. |
Why does Gilgamesh plan the "Forest Journey"? |
15. |
Who is Humbaba? What is he like? |
16. |
At this point in the poem, how does Gilgamesh feel about the fact that humans must die? (See pp. 19-20.) Notice that in spite of being only one-third man Gilgamesh is mortal and must someday die. |
17. |
Why does Gilgamesh decide to kill Humbaba? |
Part 3
18. |
Who falls in love with Gilgamesh? Why does he refuse her? (Notice what happened to Ishullanu. Isn't Gilgamesh doing the same thing?) |
19. |
What creature comes to Uruk to punish Gilgamesh for his refusal? What happens to this creature? |
20. |
What does Enkidu dream that night? What does he learn from his dream? |
21. |
How does Enkidu first react to his sickness, and what changes his behavior? |
22. |
Enkidu dreams about the world of the dead. According to his dream, what is death like? |
23. |
How does Gilgamesh react to Enkidu's death? |
Part 4
24. |
How have these events changed Gilgamesh's feelings about death? |
25. |
Whom does Gilgamesh decide to go to visit? Why? |
26. |
How does Gilgamesh find Utnapishtim? Describe his journey. |
27. |
Siduri gives Gilgamesh an interesting summary of the destiny of a human being. What is it? Notice the human pleasures she lists. |
28. |
When Gilgamesh asks "How shall I find the [everlasting] life for which I am searching," how does Utnapishtim answer him? What does Gilgamesh then ask? |
Part 5
29. |
What story does Utnapishtim tell Gilgamesh? (If you are familiar with the story of Noah, found in Genesis 6-8, you will want to notice the startling similarities and the equally interesting differences.) |
30. |
What reward did Utnapishtim and his wife receive? |
Part 6
31. |
What test does Utnapishtim offer Gilgamesh? What happens? |
32. |
What substitute gift does Gilgamesh receive? What does he plan to do with it? (What do his plans indicate about the kind of king he has become?) |
33. |
What happens to the magical plant? |
Part 7
34. |
What finally happens to Gilgamesh? |
35. |
Judging by his people's reaction to his death, does Gilgamesh seem to have remained a bad king? |
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