Benny Yosen 3rd

Epic of Gilgamesh
Subject: The document was about Gilgamesh and his male companion Enkidu. The gods created Enkidu to stop Gilgamesh from oppressing to the people of Urik. It tells how they went on great adventures together. For example they went to Cedar Mountain to defeat the monstrous guardian Humbaba. Enkidu dies at one point in the story, and Gilgamesh creates a quest to find immortality. He did not find mortality and later died, but was praised for his monumental buildings and bringing back cultic knowledge to Urik. Occasion: This was produced in Mesopotamia around 2000 BCE. This was secondary source, and it fits in with other historical events. For example, the flood was mentioned in this story and it was documented that there was a great flood around the time of writing. Audience: This was written for a variety of audiences not for a particular person or people. Purpose: I was written to help inform readers of the many themes in life such as friendship, religion, gender roles in society, the development of man, and how humans are affected by death. Also, gods are immortal, and humans are mortal. Speaker and POV: The original author is unknown, but the writing is credited to Shin-eqi-unninni. It is told in third person, but from Gilgameshs point of view. He is the king of Urik and this might make his point of view more as a leader rather than a follower. Tone: Gilgamesh is never directly criticized, who is always described as heroic, but he is portrayed in irony. In the beginning he is heedless to death, but at the end he is obsessed with it. We can conclude that it was intended to glorify Gilgamesh and tell the greatness of him.