RelC/J 1210, Fall 2012
For October 22 through October 26, 2012
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011
How is David designated king? How many times? What do you learn about David in
the episode with Goliath? What is the relationship between Saul and David? Saul and
Jonathan? How is David portrayed (naïve, conniving, politically savvy, innocent,
etc.)? What, if any, are his motives? Is the narrator sympathetic toward David?
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011
How is David portrayed? Consider, for example, David’s lament over Saul and
Jonathan, his liaison with Bathsheba, his dealings with his children, his political
enemies, and his staff (for example, Joab). Also, please note the choices that David
makes (and does not make) and their consequences. Does the distinction between a
public history and a private story hold? Is the narrator sympathetic toward David?
Remember to start keeping a timeline of major events and dates.
STUDY QUESTIONS FOR THE READING ASSIGNMENT FOR SECTION:
“It is an old story
But one that can still be told
About a man who loved
And lost a friend to death
And learned he lacked the power
To bring him back to life.
It is the story of Gilgamesh
And his friend Enkidu.”
—from the translation of Gilgamesh by Herbert Mason (1972)
For section this week, you will be reading the Epic of Gilgamesh. Please review the history and
basic overview of the epic in Coogan, OT, 36–39 (“The Epic of Gilgamesh”). Then, please
read the epic as translated by Andrew George, pages 1–99, which is the edition available at
the UVa Bookstore. Yes, this is a substantial reading assignment. You may skim Tablets III,
IV and V, if that helps, but if you do skim, please make sure to read the synopsis provided at
the start of each tablet.
If you would like further background for the text, you may refer to George’s introduction,
pages xii-li. Also, on page lii, George explains his system for rendering those parts of the
tablets that were damaged.
Broadly speaking, what is the Epic of Gilgamesh about? What are its main themes
and concerns?
RelC/J 1210, October 22–26, 2012, page 1 of 2.
What role does morality play in the epic? To what extent are the actions of
Gilgamesh and Enkidu portrayed as “good” or “bad”?
How is kingship understood in the epic? What are the king’s roles and
responsibilities? To what extent is the king divine?
What parallels to the Hebrew Bible did you notice? Make sure to note not only the
obvious parallels to Genesis, but 1 and 2 Samuel as well. Compare and contrast the
divine-human relationships found in the Epic of Gilgamesh (i.e. the relationships
between the gods and the other characters in the epic) to the divine-human
relationships found in the David story. Compare and contrast the human
relationships; that is, how does the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu
compare to that of David and Jonathan? How does it compare to that of David and
Joab? How are the relationships similar? How are they different? What does the Epic
of Gilgamesh tell us about human finitude and mortality? How do its views on
finitude and mortality compare to those in Genesis? How is sexuality portrayed?
How are women portrayed in the epic? Again, please compare the role of women in
the epic to their role(s) in the Hebrew Bible.
GRADED ASSIGNMENT FOR SECTION:
For this week’s section assignment, you and your NowComment group will compare a passage
in Gilgamesh to 1 and 2 Samuel. We have uploaded a selection from Tablets VII and VIII of
Gilgamesh (which narrate Enkidu’s death and the funeral Gilgamesh gives for his friend) to
NowComment. While you will be commenting on this limited selection from Gilgamesh, the
assignment presumes that you have read all of the assigned portions of Gilgamesh.
Each student in the group will make a total of four (4) comments.
Comments 1 and 2: For the first two comments, find words, phrases, or themes that
you think resonate with or evoke a passage in 1or 2 Samuel. The goal here is to make
connections between the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu and the story of David
(which may include narratives about Saul, Jonathan, etc.).
Comments 3 and 4: For the second two comments, please comment on how
excerpts from Tablets VII and VIII in the NowComment document fit within the
epic as a whole. How do the scenes surrounding Enkidu’s death and funeral pick up
on earlier events and themes in the book? How do they anticipate what will happen
later on? Please be specific; if you see an interesting connection, you are strongly
encouraged to directly quote from other parts of the epic in your comments on
Tablets VII and VIII.
As always, please be sure to interact with your fellow group-members and to submit your
responses no later than 10 pm the evening before your section meets.
RelC/J 1210, October 22–26, 2012, page 2 of 2.