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Epic of Gilgamesh

Epic of Gilgamesh. Background Information. Anonymous Author-reworked by various Mesopotamian Cultures. Oldest story known-written around 2700 BC Story centers around King Gilgamesh of Uruk who was a tyrant of a leader (lived @ 2700 BC).

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Epic of Gilgamesh

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  1. Epic of Gilgamesh

  2. Background Information • Anonymous Author-reworked by various Mesopotamian Cultures. • Oldest story known-written around 2700 BC • Story centers around King Gilgamesh of Uruk who was a tyrant of a leader (lived @ 2700 BC). • Story began as five narrative poems and later cultures added to the original poems.

  3. Background • It was later reconstructed by a Babylonian (circa 2000BC) into the twelve tablets we have today

  4. Sumerians • They lived in what is known as Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates river, where Iran and Iraq are today between 3500-3000 BC. • This area is known as the “cradle of civilization.” • Sumeriais known as the "sudden civilization" by scholars because this remarkable culture seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

  5. Where did Gilgamesh live? • Sumeria refers to the southern delta region, whose primary cities included Ur, Uruk, and Eridu. Uruk is the city in which the famous king Gilgamesh lived. Akkad was a region north of Sumer which included the area around modern Baghdad.

  6. Flood Stories • There are many flood stories that exist about this area one of which is included in the epic. • The flood story in the epic has many similarities to the flood story in Genesis.

  7. Epic Hero Heroically larger than life… Failings as well as virtues are conveyed Super-human strength Unusual circumstances of birth; sometimes in danger or born into royalty An event, sometimes traumatic, leads to adventure or quest 3 Hero has supernatural help The Hero must prove himself many times while on adventure When the hero dies, he is rewarded spiritually the hero is charged with a quest that will test his abilities. This will test his worthiness to be a leader. Then is the presence of helpers and companions as well as mythical animals or creatures during his journey. The travels of the hero will take him to a supernatural world that ordinary humans are barred. The cycle reaches a low point when we think the hero has been defeated but in the end, the hero resurrects himself and regains his rightful place.

  8. Elements of an Epic Typical in epics is a set of conventions (or epic machinery). Among them are these: • Poem begins with a statement of the theme • Invocation to the muse or other deity ("Sing, goddess, of the wrath of Achilles") • Story begins in medias res (in the middle of things) • Catalogs (of participants on each side, ships, sacrifices) • Histories and descriptions of significant items (who made a sword or shield, how it was decorated, who owned it from generation to generation) • Epic simile (a long simile where the image becomes an object of art in its own right as well as serving to clarify the subject). • Frequent use of epithets ("Aeneas the true"; "rosy-fingered Dawn"; "tall-masted ship") • Use of patronymics (calling son by father's name): "Anchises' son" • Long, formal speeches by important characters • Journey to the underworld • Use of the number three (attempts are made three times, etc.) • Previous episodes in the story are later recounted

  9. False Journey • Joseph Campbell was a teacher, a writer, a scholar, but most famously he was a world renowned leading interpreter of mythology. In his book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces 1949, Campbell asserts that there is an archetypal hero figure in mythology. • He begins in ordinary life. • He then receives the call to adventure and encounters a helper along the way. • Next he crosses the Threshold of Adventure (brother-battle, dragon-battle, dismemberment, abduction, night/sea journey, wonder-journey, whale's belly, etc). • Here the hero has entered into the other world where he undergoes tests (strength, courage, intellect, ability, faith, will, etc) and meets more helpers. • Finally the hero realizes his peak experience (sacred marriage, father atonement, apotheosis, elixir theft, etc). • Then he takes flight (rescue, threshold struggle, resurrection, etc) to return to his old life with a boon (wisdom, elixir, etc). • The hero begins a journey or quest seeking one thing but learns something far more valuable in the end.

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