For Monday: Tables X-XI of The Epic of Gilgamesh

For Friday. finish The Epic of Gilgamesh (the last 2 tablets) for our final discussion of the book. I'll give you an in-class writing response over a significant passage/idea from these chapters (so there are no blog questions this time). Also remember that the Short Paper #1 is due on Wednesday, and I've posted it below in case you misplaced it. We'll briefly discuss integrating literature into your paper on Monday as well. See you then...

Short Paper #1: The Mysteries of Gilgamesh

The short papers in this class are a way to explore a single, focused idea while the reading is still fresh in your mind. It’s designed as a kind of warm-up for the longer, critical papers, and should be approached as a first draft rather than something to endlessly stress over. That said, think about each option carefully before starting and remember to get right to the point; don’t waste time with a lengthy introduction that dances around the subject. Hit the ground running by directly responding to the ‘conversation’ of the questions below...

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

Option 1:            As you’ve noticed reading Andrew George’s edition of Gilgamesh (or another version), the text is full of omissions and other lacunae that only hint at what might have been. If we could find one or more of these missing pieces, the story might change dramatically—or at least become more clear and understandable. To that end, I want you to choose one significant blank passage (of a few lines or no more than a page) and complete the passage in a way that is artistically satisfying or illuminating. Imagine not only what might have been there, but what should be there to satisfy a modern audience. Explain what lines/ideas are missing and explain why this is a significant and meaningful completion. Don’t make it too simple, either: consider how a hidden character motivation or a cosmic plot point might have been buried away in a crumbled tablet. In other words, help us (21^st century English speakers) read the ‘hidden’ Gilgamesh lost to the ages.

Option 2:           When Enkidu recounts his dream about the Underworld, he notes, “I looked around me, saw the “crowns” in a throng,/there were the crowned [heads] who’d ruled the land since days/of yore” (VII.61). This seems to state that the fate of every man—king or commoner—is to sink into the darkness of death for all eternity. However, this is a dream, and might not represent the true destiny of mankind. From what we have of Gilgamesh, is the poem optimistic or pessimistic about the nature of death? Does Gilgamesh find an answer to its mysteries, or a new way of looking at it? Is this poem supposed to make its listeners more comfortable or satisfied about the life to come? Or is it a grim admission that life is all we have, so enjoy it? Use a passage or two to support your response to this question.

REQUIREMENTS

* 3-4 pages, double spaced

* Quote passages from the text (don’t just summarize)

* Follow MLA Format when doing so (we’ll discuss this in class)

* DUE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27th BY 5pm [in my box, HM 348]