The Epic of Gilgamesh

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Gilgamesh epic from Babylonia, which is believed to be the oldest known work of literature, written approximately in the year 2500 BC. The paper describes Gilgamesh, the demigod who ruled Uruk on the River Euphrates in the third millennium BC. The paper further describes the epic's account of the Deluge, similar to the Flood of the Bible, the artifacts it discusses, which are associated with Agga and Enmebaragesi of Kish, and its descriptions of the nature of heroism.

From the Paper:

"Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third human and the strongest superhuman who ever lived (Kovacs 1989, Hooker 1996, Wikipedia 2006). The gods are disturbed by the extent of his might and his people, by his harshness and abuses, so that the gods send the wild man Enkidu to rival and handicap him. But Enkidu loses his strength by giving in to the seduction of the temple harlot Shamnat, who introduces him to a civilized life in Uruk, instead. There Enkidu engages into a losing fight with Gilgamesh when Enkidu tries to champion the rights of the people against their leader. But in the end, the two become friends. Gilgamesh goes on a victory spree and now wants to cut down cedar trees to construct the gate of his city. In order to do so, they have to combat and eliminate the guardian of the cedar forest, the demon Humbaba, which Gilgamesh is able to do with the help of Enkidu and the god Shamash. Despite Humbaba's appeal, Gilgamesh cuts off Humbaba's head on the prompting of Enkidu. But before dying, Humbaba curses Enkidu (Kovacs, Wikipedia, Hooker)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hooker, Richard, trans. (1996). Gilgamesh. World Civilization. http://www,wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/GILGH.HTM
• Wikipedia. (2006). The Epic of Gilgamesh. Media Wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki.Epic_of_Gilgamesh
• Hooker, Richard, trans. (1996). Gilgamesh. World Civilization. http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESSO/GLG.HTM

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