Mrs. Gately
World Literature—Accelerated
NAME: _____________________ PERIOD: _____
1.
Why do Utnapishtim and his wife place the aging loaves of bread by Gilgamesh’s head?
Explain.
2.
Why is Gilgamesh upset when his pelts (animal skins) are taken away?
3.
What happens that makes Utnapishtim feel compassion for Gilgamesh? Be specific.
4.
What “gift” does Utnapishtim decide to give to Gilgamesh? What will this object do for
Gilgamesh? In other words, what magic power does it possess?
5.
What animal steals this gift? What idea/quality does this animal often symbolize in the stories of various cultures? Explain.
6.
What natural phenomenon is explained in this section of the story?
7.
As Gilgamesh approaches the city of Uruk, he speaks briefly with an old, blind man. Why is the exchange between these two men significant? Explain.
8.
Then, Gilgamesh “looked at the walls, / Awed at the heights / His people had achieved / And for a moment—just a moment— / All that lay behind him / Passed from view” (92). What finally takes Gilgamesh’s mind away from his grief?
9.
What, in the end, has Gilgamesh learned? Explain.