Gilgamesh

1.Highlight some places in the text that tell us about the relationship between Gilgamesh and
Enkidu. Use your own words to describe their relationship.

I think the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is that of very good friends who have
once fought against a common enemy together. Firstly, from the way they address each other,
such as ‘beloved brother’(Reader, P259), ‘dear friend’(Reader, P260), ‘intimate friend’(Reader,
P260), they are obviously very close friends. Moreover, from what Anu said in Enkidu’s dream,
‘ they have slaughtered the Bull of Heaven and killed Humbaba, watchman of the Cedar Forest ’
(Reader, P259), we can deduce that the two friends have committed valorous deeds together.

2.Use 4 to 5 sentences to describe Gilgamesh' journey after the death of Enkidu.

Gilgamesh embarked on an arduous journey in search of Utnapishtim to gain the elixir of life
after the death of his beloved friend. After roaming the wilderness for a while, eventually he
arrived at the Twin Peaks and rushed through the pitch-dark tunnel within it in merely 12 hours
(BOOK IX). Then, he found Urshanabi, Utnapishtim ’ s boatman via a tavern keeper and after
meeting Urshanabi’s demand, together they sailed across the Waters of Death and made their way
to Utnapishtim (Book X). However, he failed Utnapishtim’s test of staying awake for 7 consecutive
days and was only told the location where the secret of youth lay. Unfortunately, he lost even that
hard-won plant to a snake on his way back to Uruk (BOOK XI).

3.What is Shiduri's advice to Gilgamesh and what is his reaction? Highlight the section and
use 3-4 sentences to describe their conversation in your own words.

Shiduri takes a realistic perspective on life and death. He readily accepts that death is
unavoidable and there was no such thing as immortality for ordinary human being (‘You will never
find the eternal life that you seek’, Reader, P267). By saying that ‘until the end comes, enjoy your
life, spend it in happiness, not despair’ (Reader, P267), he encourages Gilgamesh to cherish the
present and relish the pleasure of everyday life. Nevertheless, Gilgamesh is overwhelmed with grief
and blames his advice for a lack of sympathy for the deceased. He shows dogged determination to
find the elixir of life.

4.List at least 3 similarities between the flood myth as described in Genesis (page 25-29 of the
reader) and Gilgamesh.

First of all, the motive of the floods is similar. Both are waged by the God against human being
because of his aversion to men’s wickedness.
(‘And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I
have created from the face of the earth’, P25)
(‘How did it happen that you so recklessly sent the Great Flood to destroy mankind?It is right to
punish the sinner for his sins… but but be merciful, do not allow all men to die because of the sins
of some.’ P272)
However, both gods in these two stories still have pity for mankind. In Genesis, ‘Noah found
grace in the eyes of the LORD’(P25) and he and his family survives the disaster by building an ark
and take with them beasts in a certain number (P26). Similarly, Ea tells Utnapishtim in secret about
the imminent flood, instructs him in ship-building and also demands that ‘ take aboard the ship
examples of every living creature’ (P270).
In detail, in both stories birds are sent to test whether the water has abated and the earth has
dried. In Genesis, a dove is sent four times (P28), while in Gilgamesh, first it is at first a dove, then
a swallow and finally a raven (P272).
Last but not least, sacrifice was made to the God after human get out of the vessel and
embark on a new life. In Genesis, ‘Noah builder an altar unto the lord and took of every clean
best, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar ’ (P28). In Gilgamesh,
Utnapishtim ‘slaughtered a sheep on the mountaintop and offered it to the gods’ (P272).