The Epic Of Gilgamesh
Chapter 4
1) What does Gilgamesh dream and how does Enkidu interpret these dreams?
2) What is Shamash encouraging Gilgamesh and Enkidu to accomplish?
3) What does Gilgamesh do to attract Humbaba’s attention?
4) What does Shamash do to help Gilgamesh and Enkidu?
5) What do Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the young men do while Shamash is delaying Humbaba?
6) When Gilgamesh comes face to face with Humbaba, what does he do?
7) As a result of Humbaba’s pleas, Gilgamesh feels pity for him. What does Enkidu advise him to do?
8) According to Enkidu, what must human beings have in order to survive?
Chapter 5
1) Who is Ishtar? What does Ishtar promise Gilgamesh if he marries her?
2) What is Gilgamesh’s reaction to her request?
3) What does he compare Ishtar to? Ultimately, what is he saying about her with all of his comparisons?
4) In her rage against Gilgamesh, what does Ishtar ask of her father Anu?
5) What does Anu say will happen to the land of Uruk if he grants her request?
6) What is the significance of the number seven?
7) What happens when the Bull of Heaven is released in the city of Uruk?
8) What does Ishtar exclaim after Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill the Bull of Heaven?
9) How does Enkidu react?
10) What does Enkidu dream?
11) Whom does Enkidu curse and why does he curse them?
12) What does Shamash say to him in response?
13) After hearing Shamash what does Enkidu say?
14) What does Enkidu dream at this point?
15) What happens to Enkidu and how does Gilgamesh react?
16) What does Gilgamesh vow to do?
Chapter 6 1) Why does Gilgamesh go to see Utanapishtim?
2) What does the name Utanapishtim mean? Why might he be called the Faraway?
3) What tests must Gilgamesh undergo on his journey?
4) What does the scorpion man tell Gilgamesh about trying to find Utanapishtim?
5) How do you interpret the tunnel of darkness that Gilgamesh must travel through?
6) What does Gilgamesh see once he comes out of the tunnel?
7) What does Shamash tell Gilgamesh when he sees him?
8) Who is Siduri?
9) How does she react to Gilgamesh’s arrival and why is she suspicious?
10) What does Gilgamesh tell her?
11) What does Siduri tell him?
12) Who is Urshanabi and how can he help Gilgamesh?
13) What does Gilgamesh do that shows he has not changed into the good king the elders want him to be?
14) How has this impacted his desire to make the sea journey to Utanapishtim?
15) What does Urshanabi tell him he must now do? What is constructed using these materials?
16) What are the Waters of Death?
17) What does Utanapishtim tell Gilgamesh? What does this say about the culture’s belief regarding predestination?
Chapter 7
1) Utanapishtim tells Gilgamesh his story. Why does he say Enlil called the gods together? What was his complaint? What does he want to do?
2) How does Ea feel about Enlil’s plans? What does he tell Utanapishtim to do?
3) What similarities do you see between the flood story told here and the Biblical flood story?
4) What does Enlil do for Utanapishtim and his wife after he discovers they have survived the flood?
Chapter 8
1) What does Utanapishtim tell Gilgamesh he must do to earn the right to immortality?
2) Does Gilgamesh succeed in this challenge?
3) What proof does Utanapishtim provide that Gilgamesh has slept for seven days? 4) Gilgamesh learns he will never escape death, but Utanapishtim provides him a list of the powers the gods have given him. What purpose might Utanapishtim have for doing this? What does Gilgamesh have to learn from this?
5) What gift does Utanapishtim give Gilgamesh to reward him for his arduous journey?
6) What must Gilgamesh do to retrieve the gift?
7) What happens to this gift when Gilgamesh decides to take a refreshing swim?
8) Ultimately what must Gilgramesh decide he must do with regards to the plant?