The Epic of Gilgamesh Test Review

Why doesn't Gilgamesh accept Ishtar's proposal? What does this tell us about his character development?

Gilgamesh doesn't accept Ishtar's proposal because he doesn't think it will benefit him enough. This adds to the anthropomorphism of the gods and the selfish and narcissism of Gilgamesh's character

Why does Gilgamesh hesitate to kill Humbaba? What does this tell us about his character development?

Gilgamesh hesitates to kill Humbaba, because he offers to serve Gilgamesh, which appeals to Gilgamesh's old ways. This shows that he still carries part of his past within himself.

What does Gilgamesh hope to accomplish by going on the quest?

Gilgamesh is on a quest to find the secret of eternal life in order to end his own grief.

Why is Gilgamesh so determines to kill Humbaba? How does Enkidu feel about the journey? What do both characters' reaction tell us about them?

Gilgamesh wants to kill Humbaba to prove his strength, that he is more powerful than him. Enkidu is very hesitant to fight Humbaba. The reaction from Gilgamesh shows his arrogance but Enkidu's reaction shows he is passive.

Describe Gilgamesh and his origins/character traits. What does he do that the people of Uruk dislike?

Gilgamesh was said to be god and man, son of Ninsun, a tyrant, and a selfish child. He would sleep with soon to be brides before their husbands could.

According to Enkidu, what lies ahead for Gilgamesh and what does it mean to be a man?

Gilgamesh will see death in everything in life. He will be changed forever. Being a man is seeing death in things, experiencing grief.

What event foreshadows Gilgamesh's failure of the quest?

His encounter with: The scorpion people, Siduir, and Utnapishtim

Describe Enkidu's last dream in part II. What are some of his dying thoughts?

That the gods picked one of them to die, and Enkidu was the chosen one. Enkidu's dying thoughts were that he thought death and grief meant seeing death in everything in life. That Gilgamesh will be changed forever.

What obstacle does the Road of the Sun pose? Explain the symbolism of this road and the irony of its name.

The Road of Sun was filled with darkness, and could only focus on his grief. The irony is the name is the contrast of light from the sun and the darkness that is actually to come. The Road of the Sun is symbolic of the grieving process.

So far, three characters have warned Gilgamesh his grief is for naught. List these three characters and explain their words of wisdom.

The Scorpion People Siduri Urshanabi

Who are the Scorpion people? What is their threat? How is Gilgamesh able to pass by them? What is their advice and how does Gilgamesh react?

The Scorpion people are the guardians of the entrance to Mashu. The Scorpion people kill all the people that look at them. Gilgamesh is able to look at them because he is ⅔ god. The Scorpion people advise him to get over the death of Enkidu and Gilgamesh is enraged. Shows Gilgamesh is acting like an angry child.

How do the Sumerians view grief? What do they believe it is to be human?

The Sumerians view grief can only be healed by time and that time spent grieving is unique to that person. Being human means going through loss.

The motif of dark vs light is mentioned many times in this section. Explain its symbolism and significance.

The darkness is symbolic for the grieving process as well as ignorance, because he doesn't have Enkidu to find him.

What is the mood at the end of the story? What life lessons can you learn from this ancient Sumerian story?

The end of the story has an uplifting and hopeful mood, because Gilgamesh is finally hopeful about getting over his grief, and he learned to respect his people and is finally happy.

What are the main themes of the epic as states in the first stanza

The main themes are friendship, love, and loss.

What role does the prostitute play and how does this reflect the roles of women in ancient Sumeria?

The prostitute acted as a guide for Enkidu into the life of a man. This shows that the women of Sumeria were known for wisdom and guidance

What is his punishment for rejecting her?

The punishment for denying her was the Bull of Heaven, which was actually a famine.

Explain how Gilgamesh changes as a character throughout section I and II. Do you believe he has changes for the better?

The reader sees Gilgamesh change when he accepts the death of his friend and cries. He goes from being an evil tyrant to a caring friend, experiencing the grief of a loved one/friend.

What is fidelity when dealing with translation?

being loyal to the source language

Gil has several dreams that he tells to his mother. List them and explain the role they play in the story.

1. Star falling from the sky and everyone admired it 2. An ax that everyone stood around, he could not lift it, he failed. These dreams foreshadowed the coming of Enkidu

The Sumerian calendar was based off of what? and how many months did it have?

Based on the moon with 12 months

Describe the battle with Humbaba. What characterization comes out about Enkidu? Gilgamesh? what do we learn of the balance of their relationship?

Before the fight, Enkidu touched the gate that made his hand go numb, foreshadowing his death. Then they both had visions/dreams telling their fate. When they were in the presence of Humbaba, the role of the fearful kept switching, showing balance in their relationship. Gilgamesh hesitated to kill Humbaba, but he ended up killing him with and Ax

What language did the ancient Sumerians develop and why?

Cuneiform out of the need for record keeping

Describe Enkidu and his origins/character traits.

Enkidu was said to be animal and man and ignorant.

What role did Enkidu serve in the story? What lessons did he teach Gilgamesh?

Enkidu was the reason Gilgamesh has made a character change. He imparted wisdom upon Gilgamesh, he taught him how to love and his death will teach him how to deal with loss.

How has Enkidu transformed?

Enkidu was transformed by the prostitute Gilgamesh sent for him. She acted as a guide into the life of a man

List one motif from the story.

Friendship, it supports the main theme of the story which is loss. Without a friend, there would be nothing to loose.

How does Gilgamesh almost destroy his chances of crossing the Sea of Death? What does this tell us about his character development?

Gilgamesh almost ruined his chance of getting to find the secret of eternal life because he destroyed the sacred stones from Urshanabi. This shows that his character development is lacking, he is very impulsive and childlike. It also shows that he is his own worst enemy at this point in the story.

Even after Utnapishtim's great losses, what gives him hope and comfort in his life?

That one person can come that far to bring life to a friend, and that he understands how we can barrow light from the blind

List one archetype from the story.

Nissan being the "wise mother" shows the value of women to the Sumerian society, she acts as a guide for Gilgamesh.

What is Siduri's role in Gilgamesh quest? What is her advice and how does Gilgamesh react to her suggestion?

Siduri's role is to act as a guide to Gilgamesh, she was an archetypal figure for Gilgamesh. She told him to forget about the death of Enkidu. Gilgamesh is stubborn and he goes on his quest anyway. Shows that he is very childish, that he acts impulsively.

What does Utnapishtim teach Gilgamesh about immortality and life?

Utnapishtim taught Gilgamesh the story of the flood and how to gods made it impossible for humans to be immortal and that eternal life does not take away all of his current problems. As well as the fact that the closest thing to immortality you can get is friendship because eternal life is unbearable.

Why is it appropriate that a snake steals the magical plant? What does the event reveal about human nature?

When Gilgamesh got out of the water, he noticed the snake's skin was shed. When a snake sheds its skin, it is because they are growing out of it, they can no longer fit in their old skin. The snake and Gilgamesh are parallels, he is growing out of his old ways, finally accepting the fact that he will never be able to bring his friend back. The serpent represents the symbolic necessity of shedding one's skin in order for growth and the shedded skin represents the past life filled with grief that he has now left behind.

Was Gilgamesh's quest a selfish one?

Yes, because he only wanted to benefit himself and bring back his friend to end his own suffering. He left his people because he was so consumed with pride and grief that he could only think internally.

What is authenticity when dealing with translation?

having the translation be accurate to the target language, especially to a native speaker