Some things to think about in preparation for Wednesday’s class:

• Why do you think Patroclus volunteers to go fight in Achilles’s place?
• In several places, Patroclus is addressed directly, in the 2nd person, by the speaker of the epic (XVI.615; XVI.721; XVI.826). Why does Homer do this and what effect does this have on the narrative?
• Compare Achilles’s reaction to the death of Patroclus to Gilgamesh’s reaction to the death of Enkidu. In addition to the emotional content of their responses, what specific acts or rituals does each perform and what are their meanings in the face of death?
• What is the meaning of the tableaux rendered by Hephaestus on the shield of Achilles? How are the scenes related to each other? To the rest of the narrative?

Consider the following questions as you read from Genesis for Monday 9/15. Bloggers, feel free to use one of these questions as a prompt for your writing. Or choose a topic of your own to write about.

• How does reading the Bible as literature differ from reading it as scripture?
• How does the author characterize God? What is his relationship with creation, including his people?
• What changes in the world after “man’s first disobedience”?
• Compare and contrast the flood stories in Gilgamesh and Genesis. What do their differences say about their functions in the larger texts the are a part of?
• Why does the Lord disregard Cain’s offering? What explanation does he offer to Cain?
• Is there pathos in the story of Abraham and Isaac? If so, where does it come from? How is the reader supposed to feel about God’s testing of Abraham?

Please take a moment to explore our course blog and make sure you can find and access resources you will need for the upcoming semester. Some recently added items are:

• course syllabus
• readings for week 2 (for anyone who hasn’t yet purchased the Norton Anthology)
• a link to the electronic text Contexts and Comparisons – a necessary text for the course
• a link to the Norton Anthology of World Literature Study Space

If you missed the first day of class, or just added the class, make sure you print out the reading (if you don’t yet have the text book) and bring it to the next class. Check the syllabus and course schedule to see what pages are due and email me if you have any difficulty downloading the PDF files from the “Readings” page of the site.

You’ve all been designated authors on the site so feel free to add your own comments and input at any time. Check the site at least once per class period so you don’t miss any important announcements or information. I’ll be posting a schedule for your own blog posts on our readings by the end of the week, so stayed tuned!

For Monday 9/8

• How does the Prologue characterize Gilgamesh as a king and as a man?
• In what ways does the harlot Shamhat “civilize” Enkidu (beside the obvious)? What are the signs of his “civilization”?
• What is the nature of the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu? How does each compliment the other?
• What about the women in the story: Ninsun, Shamhat, and the goddess Aruru? How do they move the narrative forward?
• Why do Gilgamesh and Enkidu pursue their first adventure? What do they hope to gain?

For Wednesday 9/10

• How would you characterize Ishtar? What does she want from Gilgamesh and what tactics does she use to get what she wants?
• What is the purpose of Enkidu’s string of curses in Tablet VII? Why, especially, does he curse Shamhat? For what does he blame her? (VII. 58-86 [pp129-30])
• Is Enkidu’s death ordained by the gods? Why him and not Gilgamesh?
• In what ways are water and bodies of water significant in the narrative? What do they symbolize? Give specific examples.
• What is the significance of Utanapishtim’s challenge to Gilgamesh to stay awake for 6 days and 7 nights? Why does he have his wife measure the days with loaves of bread?
• Why does the narrative end with Gilgamesh’s observation of the walls of Uruk? How is this scene related to the story’s Prologue? Does it signify any progression of his character?