NOTE: You'll get a break from questions/reading next week--it's a very short week. As you can see on the calendar, there's no class on Monday (Labor Day) and no class on Friday (paper due). So all you have to do next week is show up on Wednesday, when we'll introduce some ideas for reading The Odyssey.
Answer TWO of the following:
Q1: We get a brief snapshot of the Underworld through Enkidu's dream. What might this reveal about the Sumerian/Babylonian view of death and the rewards for a good (or bad) life? Do you think this is 'real,' or is his dream merely that--a projection of his fears? Any clues to tell one way or another?
Q2: How does Gilgamesh respond to Enkidu's death? Does the poem mean this to be appropriate/moving, or excessive/bathetic? In other words, is this how a hero should react to the death of a friend or family member? Or is another example of his selfish, over-the-top behavior?
Q3: Large portions of The Epic of Gilgamesh veer off of the main narrative to provide the true function of myth: to explain how the surrounding world came to be. One of the most surprising myths is the tale of the Flood, which predates the Biblical version by over 1,000 years. How does the Sumerian/Babylonian version tell the story differently? What is the 'moral' or perspective of this story--and how do the gods factor into it? Did it surprise you, or was it still more or less the same story as found in the Old Testament?
Q4: Why does Gilgamesh fail on his quest for immortality? Is it simply because he's human and humans cannot be immortal (except for Uta-napishti)? Or does he essentially defeat himself?
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