Central Conflict. A central conflict is the main problem or struggle in the plot of a poem, story, or play. Conflicts can occur in many different ways. A conflict can pit one character against another character or against himself or herself. A character could also come into conflict with society or with nature in a general sense. As you read, try to identify the central conflict of “The Epic of Gilgamesh.”
Irony. Irony is a difference between appearance and reality. An event that contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience of a literary work is an example of irony of situation. Which event in this story is an example of irony of situation?
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• History Connection. The Epic of Gilgamesh originated as stories passed along orally. The stories eventually were written down by Sumerians about 2000 bc. The stories eventually became an epic poem, which was translated into Akkadian and other Mesopotamian languages. The most complete surviving version was written in the Akkadian language on twelve stone tablets. The retelling of the story that appears here summarizes the main points of the original epic.
• An epic is a long story, often told in verse, that tells of a culture’s heroes and gods. Its length and scope allows it to provide a portrait of an entire culture—its legends, beliefs, values, arts, and ways of life. The Epic of Gilgamesh is pessimistic, or dark and gloomy, in its view of the world. Although Gilgamesh is the greatest of heroes, he cannot give the gift of immortality to his fellow mortals and he must accept death as a part of human life.
• Ishtar, or Inanna, as the ancient Mesopotamian people originally called her, was the Queen of Heaven and the goddess of the storehouse, rain, war, love, and the morning and the evening stars. Ishtar sometimes offered fertility and bountiful harvests—and other times brought disaster and war to her people. The Mesopotamians longed for stability. In their mythology, they gradually stripped the unpredictable Ishtar of power and gave more power to benevolent male gods like Anu, Shamash, Enlil, and Ea.
Why do you think humans fear aging and death?
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