Gilgamesh- Tablets 1 & 2
Go to the following website: http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/
Background:
When was Gilgamesh written? What is it about? Between 2750 and 2500BCE. The adventure of
King Uruk.
Tablet 1:
1) This book opens with a positive description of Gilgamesh ending with the word “perfect.”
Then, in the next paragraph the description changes, and the word “arrogant” is used. What is the
“true” picture of Gilgamesh? Gilgamesh is terrifying and all-powerful. He sacrifices warriors whenever he
feels like fighting, rapes his nobles’ wives, takes whatever he wants from his people, and tramples anyone who
gets in his way.
2) When the goddess Aruru forms the savage man, Enkidu, another problem is presented. He is a
wild man roaming the forest with the animals, and the trapper cannot make a living since the
fearsome Enkidu is tearing out his traps and freeing the animals. Why do you think the Gilgamesh
author made this “double for Gilgamesh, his second self” so different from the city-dwelling
Gilgamesh? I think that the author made him so different because it would change how he thinks. Since they
turned into best friends they would agree to do the same thing and Enkidu would encourage and influence him
to do better and to be nicer to his people.
3) The goddess’s solution to the trapper’s problem is to introduce the wild man to sex with the
woman Shamhat. A priestess of the goddess of love, who has dedicated herself to being a servant of
the goddess, Shamhat might be called a “sacred prostitute,” but she is not out for personal gain.
Her union with Enkidu changes him in many ways. What are they? He becomes more ocnfident and
stronger in his head. She shows him what food is and changes his view on what food was. He drinks beer and
he washes and anoints himself with oil and dresses himself in new clothes.
Tablet 2:
1) Now that Enkidu has gained some self-awareness, Shamhat continues to teach Enkidu.
What lessons does he learn from her in this book? She shows him what food is and changes his
view on what food was. He drinks beer and he washes and anoints himself with oil and dresses
himself in new clothes.
2) The book begins with a violent fight but ends in the beginnings of friendship. What is your
theory about why this happens? Is there any information in the text to support you? I think
this happens because they are both the same people but in different bodies and they realize it and
then they learn to love each other. They immediately forget their anger. Enkidu concedes that
Gilgamesh is the rightful king of Uruk and pledges his fidelity. Gilgamesh declares his undying
friendship to his former rival.
3) Animals are used often in descriptions of Enkidu. Describe the fight with Gilgamesh using
Enkidu’s animal traits. Locked together in combat, the two gigantic men grapple through the
streets. The walls of the city tremble and the doorposts shake as they fight. They wrestle like they are
monsters or huge bears. He uses his instincts to fight him and he protects himself but still goes down.