ClassX Video Lessons The epic of Gilgamesh, the king who tried to conquer death – Soraya Field Fiorio
In 1849, archaeologists exploring the ancient city of Nineveh in northern Iraq stumbled upon something extraordinary. They were searching for evidence to support biblical stories, but instead, they discovered one of the oldest libraries in the world. Among the dusty remains were clay tablets inscribed with a story over 4,000 years old. This story was so captivating that the first person to translate it was thrilled beyond words.
The story is called the Epic of Gilgamesh. It starts with Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, who was known for causing trouble at weddings by interfering with brides. To control him, the goddess Aruru created a rival named Enkidu. Enkidu lived in the wild, where chaos ruled, and wild animals, invaders, and evil spirits roamed freely. After a priestess of the goddess Ishtar seduced Enkidu, the wild animals rejected him, prompting him to enter the city. There, he met Gilgamesh, who was up to his usual mischief. Enkidu stepped in to stop him, leading to a fierce wrestling match through the city streets, which Gilgamesh narrowly won.
After their fight, Gilgamesh and Enkidu became best friends. With Enkidu by his side, Gilgamesh shifted his focus from causing trouble to proving his strength in battle. They decided to take on Humbaba, a creature with a thousand faces who guarded the Cedar Forest. They tracked down Humbaba and ambushed him. Cornered, Humbaba begged for his life and cursed them, but Gilgamesh delivered the final blow.
Back in Uruk, the goddess Ishtar developed a romantic interest in Gilgamesh. Aware of her habit of cursing her former lovers, Gilgamesh rejected her advances. In anger, Ishtar unleashed the Bull of Heaven on Uruk, causing destruction. Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated the creature, but the gods punished Enkidu, sending him to the House of Dust, the shadowy underworld where spirits of the dead kneel eternally, eating dirt and drinking stone.
Devastated by Enkidu’s fate and fearing his own mortality, Gilgamesh embarked on a journey to find immortality. He traveled beyond cosmic mountains, passed scorpion people, and groves of gemstone trees, and outran the rising sun until he reached the world’s end, where he found a bar. The bartender, a goddess named Shiduri, advised him to abandon his quest, explaining that all mortals must die, but until then, he should enjoy life.
Despite Shiduri’s advice, Gilgamesh refused to give up. Reluctantly, Shiduri gave him directions to cross the Waters of Death and meet Utnapishti, an immortal man. The gods granted Utnapishti immortality after he survived a great flood by building a boat and saving two of every animal. Utnapishti encouraged Gilgamesh to accept that death is inevitable, but Gilgamesh remained determined.
Utnapishti revealed that if Gilgamesh could conquer sleep, he might gain immortality. Gilgamesh tried to stay awake for seven days but fell asleep immediately. Utnapishti then told him about a magical plant at the ocean’s bottom that granted eternal youth. Gilgamesh retrieved the plant, but a snake stole it on his way home.
Upon returning to Uruk, Gilgamesh gazed at his beautiful city and made peace with his mortality. He vowed to spend his life doing great deeds. He wrote his story on a lapis lazuli tablet and buried it under the city walls for future generations to discover and learn from. The tablets found in Nineveh were part of the library of the Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal. Although the story is mythical, Gilgamesh was likely a real king of Uruk. Versions of his tale date back to 2000 BCE and continue to inspire literature today.
Illustrate a scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh. Choose a key moment, such as the wrestling match between Gilgamesh and Enkidu or the encounter with Humbaba. Use your creativity to bring the story to life in a comic strip format. Share your comic with the class and explain why you chose that particular scene.
Imagine you are Gilgamesh living in today’s world. Write a diary entry about your quest for immortality and the challenges you face. Reflect on how modern society views immortality and what lessons you might learn from your ancient journey. Share your entry with a partner and discuss the differences between ancient and modern perspectives.
Divide into groups and role-play a debate between Gilgamesh and Utnapishti. One side argues for the pursuit of immortality, while the other emphasizes the acceptance of mortality. Use evidence from the story to support your arguments. After the debate, discuss as a class which side presented the stronger case and why.
Create a board game based on Gilgamesh’s adventures. Include challenges and obstacles he faced, such as battling Humbaba or crossing the Waters of Death. Design the game to teach players about the story’s themes and characters. Test your game with classmates and gather feedback for improvements.
Write a poem that captures the essence of Gilgamesh’s journey. Focus on themes such as friendship, mortality, or the quest for greatness. Use vivid imagery and emotion to convey the story’s impact. Share your poem with the class and discuss how poetry can express complex ideas and emotions.
In 1849, in the ancient city of Nineveh in northern Iraq, archaeologists sifted through dusty remains, hoping to find records to prove that biblical stories were true. What they found instead was one of the oldest libraries in the world. Inscribed on crumbling clay tablets was a 4,000-year-old story so riveting that the first person to translate it was overwhelmed with excitement.
Called the Epic of Gilgamesh, the story begins with Gilgamesh, king of the city of Uruk, who disrupts weddings and engages with brides before their marriages are consummated. To tame Gilgamesh, the goddess Aruru created a rival named Enkidu. Enkidu lived beyond the city walls, where chaos reigned and wild animals, invaders, and evil spirits roamed. After a priestess of the goddess Ishtar seduced Enkidu, the wild animals rejected him, and he ventured into the city. There, he encountered Gilgamesh, who was up to his usual antics. Enkidu intervened to stop him, and the two men wrestled through the city streets until Gilgamesh narrowly won the fight.
Afterward, they became inseparable. With his new friend, Gilgamesh shifted his focus from the brides of Uruk to proving his strength in combat. They set out to slay Humbaba, a creature with a thousand faces who guarded the trees of the Forest of Cedar. They tracked Humbaba and ambushed him. Cornered, he begged for his life and cursed them as Gilgamesh delivered the final blow.
Back home in Uruk, the goddess Ishtar took a romantic interest in Gilgamesh. Knowing her tendency to lose interest and curse her former lovers, Gilgamesh refused her advances. In retaliation, Ishtar unleashed the Bull of Heaven on Uruk to destroy crops and harm the people. When Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated the creature, the gods punished Enkidu, leading him to the House of Dust, the shadowy Mesopotamian underworld where the spirits of the dead eternally kneel, eating dirt and drinking stone.
Grieving for Enkidu and fearing a similar fate, Gilgamesh set off beyond the cosmic mountains to seek immortality. He passed scorpion people and groves of gemstone trees, traveled beneath the mountains, and outran the rising sun until he reached the end of the world, where he found a bar. The bartender was a goddess named Shiduri, who urged Gilgamesh to abandon his quest, explaining that all mortals must die, but until then, he should enjoy life.
Gilgamesh, however, refused to give up. Reluctantly, Shiduri provided him with directions to cross the Waters of Death and meet the immortal man Utnapishti. The gods had granted Utnapishti immortality after a great flood, during which he built a boat, loaded two of every animal onto it, and landed on a mountain peak. Utnapishti encouraged Gilgamesh to accept that death comes for everyone, but Gilgamesh remained resolute.
Utnapishti then revealed that if Gilgamesh could conquer sleep, the gods might grant him immortality. Gilgamesh intended to stay awake for seven days but fell asleep immediately. Utnapishti then told him about a magical plant that grew at the bottom of the ocean and granted eternal youth. Although Gilgamesh successfully retrieved the plant, a snake stole it on his way home.
However, when Gilgamesh beheld his beautiful city again, he made peace with his mortality and vowed to spend his life doing great deeds. He wrote his story on a lapis lazuli tablet and buried it under the city walls for future generations to find and learn from. The tablets uncovered in Nineveh were part of the library of the Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal. Though the story is mythical, Gilgamesh was likely a real king of Uruk. Versions of his tale date back to 2000 BCE and perhaps even earlier, continuing to resonate through literature today.
Epic – A long narrative poem, often written about a hero or heroic deeds. – Homer’s “The Iliad” is an epic that tells the story of the Trojan War and the Greek hero Achilles.
Gilgamesh – The main character in one of the earliest known works of literary fiction, “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” a king who embarks on a quest for immortality. – In “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” the hero learns valuable lessons about life and mortality.
Immortality – The ability to live forever; eternal life. – Gilgamesh’s quest for immortality teaches him that true immortality is achieved through one’s legacy and deeds.
Friendship – A close and mutual bond between individuals, often explored in literature as a powerful and transformative relationship. – The friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is central to the narrative, highlighting themes of loyalty and personal growth.
Adventure – An exciting or unusual experience, often involving exploration or risk, frequently a central theme in literature. – The adventures of Odysseus in “The Odyssey” are filled with challenges and discoveries that test his character.
Gods – Supernatural beings with power over nature and human fate, often featured in mythology and literature. – In Greek mythology, the gods frequently intervene in human affairs, as seen in many epic tales.
Death – The end of life, a common theme in literature that explores its impact on individuals and societies. – The death of Enkidu in “The Epic of Gilgamesh” profoundly affects Gilgamesh, prompting his quest for meaning.
Journey – A long and often difficult process of personal change and development, frequently depicted in literature as a physical or metaphorical voyage. – Santiago’s journey in “The Alchemist” symbolizes his quest for self-discovery and fulfillment.
Legacy – Something handed down by a predecessor, often reflecting one’s impact or achievements, a common theme in literature. – The legacy of King Arthur lives on through the tales of his knights and their chivalrous deeds.
Literature – Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. – Studying literature allows us to explore different cultures, histories, and human experiences through storytelling.
