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How do we define a hero in our society
today? How does this differ from past
generations or different peoples around the
world?
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This long epic poem is about a Sumerian
king who lived between 2700 and 2500 B.C.
The themes are universal:
how to become known and respected
 how to cope with the loss of a dear friend
 how to accept one’s own inevitable death
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Oral tradition of ancient times

Most people could not read so stories and
culture were passed down through the telling of
tales.
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However, this story was recorded on clay
tablets found in the mid-1880s.
Story of an arrogant king
Make sure to read all vocabulary and
footnotes in the story.

They include important information that will
help with understanding the story. Also, this
information may be on tests and quizzes.

Archetype

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A basic plot, character, symbol or idea that
recurs in the literature of many cultures
One example is a hero’s quest
A plot in which an extraordinary person goes on
a difficult journey or mission
 The hero may search for a person, place, or
object of value, the answer to a problem or
puzzling question, or some kind of special
knowledge


The hero’s quest is a common theme in
literature and one that will be a part of
many of the literary works we will read this
year.

Complete classwork worksheet.

Read The Epic of Gilgamesh Part 1 – The
Prologue, The Battle with Humbaba, and
The Death of Enkidu on Pages 14-20 of your
literature textbook and complete the
corresponding questions.

Can a relationship that begins as a rivalry
turn into friendship? Why or why not?


Is Gilgamesh the kind of hero that you
admire? Why or why not? Use examples
from the story to support your statements.
Before the battle, what does Enkidu tell
Gilgamesh about Humbaba? In his
response, what attitude does Gilgamesh
display toward death?
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What do the repeated references to cedar
trees and Humbaba’s offer of them in
exchange for his life suggest about their
value to this culture?
What differences between Gilgamesh and
Enkidu does the battle with Humbaba
reveal?

Complete classwork worksheet.

Read The Epic of Gilgamesh Part 2 – The
Story of the Flood and The Return on pages
21-28 of your literature textbook and
complete the corresponding questions.

How does Gilgamesh respond to the difficult
obstacles he encounters? How do you
respond when faced with a problem that
seems to be more than you can handle?


Do the gods and goddesses in the story
behave in the way that you expected?
Explain, using examples from the story to
support your statements.
How does Gilgamesh come to hear the story
of the flood? Relative to the other events in
the story, when does the flood happen?
Why is Utnapishtim able to tell it?
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Why do the gods decide to destroy humanity?
Why do they soon question the wisdom of their
decision? What lessons might Gilgamesh draw
from the gods’ experiences?
After telling the story of the flood, what
mysterious gift does Utnapishtim direct
Gilgamesh to find? What happens to this gift?
What lesson might Gilgamesh learn from this
experience?

Complete classwork worksheet.

Bring three questions for Wednesday’s quiz
review.