Your assignment for the week of September 6 is to read Gilgamesh and connect it to an article published in that week’s New York Times. Your blog post must include a citation from Gilgamesh, a link to the newspaper article, and a citation from the newspaper article. Please post it under the category “Gilgamesh.”
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“Instead of your bringing of the Flood, would that a wolf have appeared to diminish the people!” (page 94)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/us/06horses.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=horse%20roundup&st=cse
Horse Advocates Pull for Underdog in Roundups (A1, A9, A11)
This article shows a similarity between the bringing of the Flood and the killing of the horses. The Gods brought the Flood to control human population to the point to annihilation. In the article, humans are controlling horse population but to a lesser degree. However, both cases uses a method of killing that does not discriminate the young from the old.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, there is a recurring theme of a long quest or quests for a distance prize. There are multiple occurrences in the poem of Gilgamesh traveling huge distances and overcoming obstacles in the pursuit of something. The quests for the Cedar Tree early in the poem and later the journey Gilgamesh undertakes to speak with Utanapishtim specifically relate to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. In the poem, Gilgamesh is warned against undertaking his journey, being told that “for twelve leagues it is darkness throughout- dense is the darkness, and light there is none” (A, 85). The road ahead of Gilgamesh is long, with no foreseeable end in sight (much like the war in Afghanistan). Gilgamesh undertakes the journey anyway, knowing that eventually there will be some kind of success. Later in the poem, it says “Eleven leagues he traveled and came out before the sunrise. Twelve leagues he traveled and it grew brilliant. Before him were trees of precious stones, and he went straight to look at them. The tree bears carnelian as its fruit, laden with clusters of jewels, dazzling to behold” (A, 86). So Gilgamesh quite literally travels through a mountain for a huge distance in utter darkness and emerges into a valley dense with gems and riches.
In the New York Times article, U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan, (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html?ref=gold) huge deposits of gold, lithium and other valuable minerals are discovered in the Afghan mountains. According to the article however, the raging war and lack of infrastructure make any exploitation of minerals a prospect decades in the future. The article says, “With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully” (A1). So the U.S. faces a long and brutal war in an unfamiliar and hostile environment, hoping that at some point the efforts will pay off tactically, diplomatically, and economically.
The connection I made is about two leaders, both of whom lost popularity with the people, both who went on a journey, Gilgamesh defeating demons and President Obama on his campaign. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, goes on a journey with his friend, Enkidu. In this journey, Gilgamesh and Enkidu do things that infuriate the gods.
‘Because they killed the Bull of Heaven and have also slain Humbaba,
the one of them who pulled up the Cedar of the Mountain must die!’
Enlil said: ‘Let Enkidu die, but Gilgamesh must not die!’ (A, 79)
Since midterm elections started, there has been a lot of debate on the attempts President Obama has taken to do what he thinks is best to correct all that is wrong with the economy today.
‘It is not clear that Mr. Obama can prevail given his own diminished popularity,
the tepid economic recovery and the divisions within his party.’
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/us/politics/08obama.html?ref=todayspaper
September 8, 2010
Because of this, Obama, like Gilgamesh, will have to face the wrath of the ‘opposition.’
‘The administration figures that if Republicans unite to oppose the proposals, as
many expect, that will be further evidence of their determination to stymie Mr.
Obama.’
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?ref=politics
September 9, 2010
In the Epic, the gods, since they cannot or will not go after Gilgamesh, instead decide to get rid Enkidu. In the same way, the Right Wing will not go after President Obama directly; they will go after Congress in midterm elections. They will try to vote out as many democrats as they can. And because, for the first time in several years, the two parties are almost head to head in votes, this further proves that they may be successful. Especially since, for the most part, the Democrats have had majority votes in the past.
I used 2 New York Times articles because, to better understand the connection I made, you have to follow what is going on with President Obama and the midterm elections. Just using one article will not have all the information needed.
Eric Sherman
Professor Allen
Lit 2800
10 September 2010
A recent article in the New York Times, called “U.S Urges Iraqis to Try New Plan to Share Power” held many parallels to the epic of Gilgamesh. In Gilgmesh, the king, Gilgamesh is superior above all other men. However, Gilgamesh abuses his power and oppresses the people in Uruk. As Shamhat tells Endiku, “Come, let me bring you into Uruk-Haven, to the Holy Temple, the residence of Anu and Ishtar, the place of Gilgamesh, who is wise to perfection, but who struts his power over the people like a wild bull.” Endiku’s purpose is to prevent Gilgamesh from mistreating his people.
Recently, this problem has become very apparent. As it says in the opening paragraph, “The Obama administration is encouraging a major new power sharing arrangement in Iraq that could retain Nuri Kamal al- Maliki but in a coalition that would significantly curb his authority.” The Obama administration feels it is their obligation to intervene in order to protect the people of Iraq from the Prime Ministers control. Endiku’s initial purpose in Gilgamesh was to bring Gilgamesh’s behavior and actions to an abrupt stop. Endiku tells Shamhat “Come, Shamhat, take me away with you to the sacred Holy Temple, the residence of Anu and Ishtar, the place of Gilgamesh, who is wise to perfection, but who struts his power over the people like a wild bul. I will challenge him. Let me shout out in Uruk: I am the mighty one! Lead me in and I will change the order of things.” (A, 63)
Endiku and the Obama Administration both have the same objectives. The lines, “I will challenge him,” and “Lead me in and I will change the order of things,” particularly stand out because they are exactly what both Endiku and the Obama administration will do.
The U.S plan is to “alter the structure of Iraq’s government by bringing additional restraints to the authority of Iraq’s prime minister and establishing a new committee with authority to approve military appointments, review the budget and shape security policy.” Endiku takes a more physical approach. During Endiku and Gilgamesh’s first encounter, “They grappled with each other at the entry to the marital chamber, in the street hey attacked each other, the public square of the land. The doorposts trembled and the wall shook.” (A, 66) After the altercation, “They kissed each other and became friends.” (A, 67). I expect the initial reaction between Iraqi’s prime minister and the Obama I expect there will be conflict during the initial reaction between Iraqi’s prime minister and the Obama Administration While the turmoil may not lead to physical altercations, as in Gilgamesh, there will certainly be tension and disagreements. After the initial tension, hopefully the U.S and Iraqi prime minister will emulate Endiku and Gilgamesh. They will be able to put their dispute aside, kiss and become friends.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/world/middleeast/10policy.html