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The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh. What’s an Epic?. Epic : a long narrative poem about a larger-than-life hero who is engaged in a dangerous journey (quest) that is important to the history of a nation or people. Examples: Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon) The Odyssey (ancient Greek) Sundiata (West African)

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The Epic of Gilgamesh

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  1. The Epic of Gilgamesh

  2. What’s an Epic? Epic: a long narrative poem about a larger-than-life hero who is engaged in a dangerous journey (quest) that is important to the history of a nation or people. Examples: Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon) The Odyssey (ancient Greek)Sundiata (West African) The Mahabharata (Indian) The Nibelungenlied (German) The Divine Comedy (Italian) The Song of Roland (French) King Arthur legends (English)

  3. The Epic – Key Elements • An opening statement of theme, followed by a prayer (invocation) to the gods • Begins in medias res (in the middle) • Has a serious tone and an elevated style • Includes epic similes and epithets (stock words / phrases)

  4. The Epic – Key Elements • An epic hero (ex. Achilles/ The Illiad) • An epic conflict (ex. Greeks v. Trojans; Achilles v. Hector; The Illiad ) • An heroic quest(s) • Divine intervention (Zeus, Hera—The Illiad)

  5. An Epic Hero is… • Strong • Brave • Loyal • Virtuous • ** flawed in some way (often hubris) • Occupies an important position in society • Is usually of semi-divine or noble birth

  6. An Epic Conflict • Plot--centers on the hero’s struggle against a series of obstacles • Proves his… • Strength • Bravery • Wisdom • Virtue …through a variety of deeds and success in battle or adventure.

  7. The Quest (a plot archetype) • A hero’s perilous journey in search of something of value to his people .

  8. Quest/ A hero may search for… • a person • a place • an object of value • the answer to a problem or puzzling question • some other special knowledge

  9. Divine Intervention • The epic hero often receives help from… 1. a god 2. some other supernatural force

  10. The Epic of Gilgamesh • written over 4000 years ago. • based upon 12 clay tablets written in cuneiform script • is at least 1,000 years older than the Greek epics Iliad and Odyssey, as well as most books of the Hebrew Bible. • tale was written by the Sumerians • repeated and reworked by writers from the Babylonian and Assyrian cultures.

  11. Clay Tablets Found in 1839

  12. Historical Gilgamesh It is based on some grains of fact: • Sumerian king named Gilgamesh • reigned over the city-state of Uruk, in ancient Mesopotamia (now Iraq) • Reigned some time between 2700 and 2500 B.C.

  13. The Characters • Anu (aaynooh): the god of the heavens; the father-god • Ea (aay): the god of wisdom; usually a friend to humans • Enkidu (en-kee-dooh): Gilgamesh’s friend; a wild man whom the gods created out of clay • Enlil (en-lil): the god of the air, the wind, and the earth • Humbaba: a giant demon who guards a great cedar forest • Ishtar: the goddess of love and war; the queen of heaven • Ninurta: a god associated with the sun and human laws • Siduri (Sid-ooh-ree): goddess of wine and brewing • Urshanabi: the ferryman who travels daily across the sea of death to the home of Utnapishtim • Utnapishtim: the survivor of a flood sent by the gods to destroy humanity; the gods granted him eternal life.

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