Gilgamesh Questions (minimum one full page, double spaced, typed):

1. What is a hero? How do our views of heroes differ from those of the ancient world? Do you think Gilgamesh is heroic? Why or why not?

2. What is a true friend? Do you think that true friendship can exist between Gilgamesh and Enkidu? Why or why not?

3. Assess the legitimacy of Gilgamesh’s foray into the wilderness to kill Humbaba? What reason does he provide for doing so? Do you think he is justified? Why or why not?

4. Work on filling out a character chart for the Epic that will be due at the end of our readings:

Character Name	Write what you know about each character in point form
Gilgamesh
Enkidu
Ninsun
Shamhat
Shamash
Humbaba
Ishtar
Siduri
Urshanabi
Utnapishtim

5. Assess Gilgamesh’s treatment of Ishtar. What reasons does he give for his mistreatment of her? Do you think he is justified in doing so? Why or why not?

6. What do you think is the lesson that Enkidu learns through realizing that he is going to die?

7. What is Siduri’s advice to Gilgamesh? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?

8. Utnapishtim’s name is usually translated as "He Who Saw Life" or “He Found Life” – that is, immortality. In other versions of this epic, his name is Atrachasis, which means "the exceptional wise one". So Utnapishtim’s character somehow unites “wisdom” with “eternal life” or “immortality.” Why do you think wisdom and immortality are linked in this way? What relation does wisdom bear to immortality?