Hi everyone! Here’s the page for our first round of weekly responses that’s based on the assigned readings. The goal is to post your reactions to the readings, or in other weeks to examples of what we are talking about in class, as a way of helping us individually and collectively gain some insight into this specific place and time. Our online discussion this week relates to the first tablet of The Epic of Gilgamesh, which was the primary source reading assigned for Tuesday.

This kind of story may be new to a lot of you, and you may need to read through the tablet a time or two to get a sense of what’s going on. For this response, I want you to find a moment or scene that stands out to you, because it’s interesting or unexpected or because it gets you wondering.

Look for characters. Think about the individual people in the town and what they are experiencing. Find a moment and react to it with your own thoughts and ideas about what it tells us and what you want to know.

Kings or demi gods have little to no morality because we see Gilgamesh is rude, a Tyrnat and a rapist. We see Enkitu wants to stop him and is aware that what Gilgamesh is doing to men and women is unethical. Even though Gilgamesh's mother raised him differently Gilgamesh changed as he became older. On the other hand Enkitu displays her wisdom and heroic view point. I want to see more of the civilizations point of view on both Gilgamesh and Enkitu. Also, If Gilgamesh's choices as a king affect the civilization's everyday roles or production of crops. Like him starting wars disrupting the flow of trade.

1. I was quite interested in how Gilgamesh was open to having a friendship with Enkidu after he acquired advice from his mother about his dreams. With how similar they are in strengths, I would've thought Gilgamesh would want to meet him so he can destroy or get rid of him because it's possible that Enkidu can be seen as a threat to his power.
2. I believe the author wanted to communicate how power can be used for good and bad, so it depends on the person to balance their use of it. Gilgamesh chose to use it to terrorize his people but with Enkidu as his similar, he wanted to stop the corruption that was being committed by Gilgamesh.
3. I would like to find out more about how Enkidu's and Gilgamesh's relationship would develop. They both aren't people who grew up being well versed in bonding with others, so I would really like to see how this idea of Enkidu being sent to "tame" him (in a behavioral sense) turns out.

Enkidu and Shamhat's interaction stood out to me because of how the nature of there relationship is described as civilizing which I think differs from how other cultures view it. When he engages with Shamhat, the text mentions that Enkidu was not only offered sex but also food, clothing and the opportunity to engage with others. As a result of this he grows weaker but is said to have gained reason and understanding. I find it interesting that the result of this sexual relationship was making Enkidu more human and less in tune with nature as in more modern civilizations anything of that natured is considered to be wild and lustful, something that takes away from your humanity. I think the author is trying to convey what someone needs to engage to be considered man over beast. The stark contrast in Enkidu from before he was with Shamhat shows that the author wanted us to see the different things that shapes humanity and separated from the wild. I want to explore more of that way of thinking and how people from ancient civilizations measured their humanity.

What jumped out on me is Gilgamesh godly power and how he uses it as he uses his power very selfishly as we see him his power for himself as we see him go through the story and I think that the author is trying to communicate that people with absolute power always get corrupted as we see with the main character as he only sees what his power wants him to see and wants him to have.

I would like to find out more about the power too as I am curious about how he got his power and how a power like this would get to a man like Gilgamesh I would like to know more.

One detail that particularly stood out to me was how Enkidu immediately grew angry after hearing about how Gilgamesh was abusing his power over the people of Uruk. This part struck me because it shows that even someone like Enkidu, who had just come from the wild and knew very little about civilization, still understood what was right and wrong. It highlights how morals can be instinctive, not something that always needs to be taught. I think the author was trying to communicate that a sense of justice is natural and universal, regardless of someone’s background, education, or social status. Even without being raised in a society, Enkidu recognized injustice and wanted to confront it. What I’d like to find out more about is why Gilgamesh doesn’t see himself as a tyrant. What led him to become the kind of king who misuses his power? Was he always this way, or did something in his past shape the way he is? Understanding this would most likely help me understand his transformation into a tyrant, overall.

A passage in particular that jumped out of me is gilgamesh is the god and he has the power to control anything. It strikes me as interesting because he possesses the strength qualities of being god.

The author is trying to communicate is that everyone have their own possessions, just because you have something doesn't mean you're going to be the only who has it.

I would like to find out if there are other readings that is similar to this.

• What jumped out at me in this part of the reading is the spirituality the characters have and how it is so similar yet different to today's world.
• I think the author was showing us the different roles in society and how they interact and work with each other. They need everyone there to function as a society.
• I would like to find out more about the spelling and grammar used in the book.

1; One detail that kinda jumped out to me early in the story is the notion of power hungry, for gilgamesh who is a demi-god to use his power to be selfish and arrogant. It shows how even back then people with power and leader ship role abuse it throughout ancient history and reflected on this story..

2; the Author was trying to communicate the idea of balance when it comes power. Gilgamesh had too much power and believed he was better then anyone else for he was a god. As soon as an equal like Enkidu shows it throws him off and grows from it.

3; I will like to find out more on how this author came up with this story, does it have to do with the current time period he lived in and try showing through this story.

What stood out to me was Enkidu’s interaction with the prostitute Shamhat. I didn’t expect their relationship would go in the direction where intercourse would make Enkidu civilized, it makes me think the author was trying to communicate that women back then had the ability to “tame” and if that’s what they meant by “work of women”. I would like to find out more about Enkidu and if he still holds on to his ties to nature as a wild man and if he’ll miss it to some extent.

One detail that I thought was really intriguing is Enkidu’s transformation when he engaged with Shamhat for almost a week. In that time, he gained “reason and wide understanding” but ultimately he lost his connection to these animals, and it’s surprising to me but also quite sad as it’s a illustration of sexuality being a gateway from wild instinct to human civilization. From what I can tell, the author was trying to tell us the tension between societal order and raw power, and this is how the gods get involved, as they need to balance the tyranny of Gilgamesh with things such as companionship. One thing I’d like to learn and find out more about is Gilgamesh as a actual person.

The part of The Epic of Gilgamesh where the prostitute pulls Enkidu away from the animals and starts to civilize him caught my attention. It surprised me because it shows how culture and human connection can completely change a person's identity, drawing him from a wild, natural life and bringing him into the human world. I think the author was attempting to prove that civilization has both benefits and drawbacks, Enkidu loses his connection to nature while gaining a relationship.

From this reading, one detail that stood out to me was how the text shows Enkidu’s transformation from a wild man living with animals to someone considered civilized once he eats bread, drinks wine, and engages with Shamhat. What struck me most was how simple actions—eating cooked food, drinking alcohol, and forming human relationships—are presented as the turning point between nature and culture. This reveals that, for the Mesopotamians, civilization was less about material progress and more about shared customs and social participation.

I think the author was trying to communicate that being civilized means belonging to a community and taking part in its traditions. Civilization is defined by rituals, rules, and relationships, not just by cities or technology. What I would like to know more about is how people in ancient Mesopotamia understood the cost of this transition. Did they believe Enkidu lost something valuable by leaving the wilderness behind, or was this seen only as a gain? This tension makes the story feel more complex and raises questions about what it truly means to be human.

The detail that jumped out at me was the moment when Enkidu was running with the gazelles who are not afraid of him but rather see him as one of their own. This was interesting to me because he was considered as a pure being, someone who was worthy enough to be a part of nature untouched by a civilization. I think the author is trying to portray the differences between Enkidu and Gilgamesh. One is a pure being and the other is an evil tyrant respectively. I want to see other perspectives regarding Enkidu.

What stood out to me in the story was Enkidu’s development and temptation. He was created by the gods as a light to combat the corruption Gilgamesh had over Uruk. The purest place on this planet is nature because it’s about survival and cooperating with the ecosystem. My major is environmental science, so it was interesting to see a man in tune with the environment. However, when he was tempted by Shamhat, he lost his connection and became a civilized human.

I think the author was trying to communicate how temptation can clout your judgement and lead to unpredictable consequences. When Enkidu met Shamhat, he was enticed by her which caused his darker demons to corrupt his purity. After he slept with her, it cost him his link with the environment. The animals couldn’t fathom what he became so they abandoned him. Enkidu had no choice but to learn how to human because that was the only way to be accepted again. I’m interested in finding out what choice he makes as the story progresses. Will he stay with human civilization, or will he try to rekindle his connection to nature?

One part that really stuck with me was the description of Enkidu living with the animals in the wild. The line where it says something like he knew nothing of the ciivlized people or civilized lands really jumped out. It was just such a powerful thing that this guy who is completely wild. It surprised me because I didn’t expect a character like that to be introduced in a story which is so old. It feels modern in the way about nature vs. civilization.

I think the author was trying to show that there is a kind of purity in nature, but also that being human means stepping away from that. When Enkidu sleeps with the temple prostitute and suddenly the animals reject him, that moment felt like a huge turning point. It’s kind of sad, honestly. Like he gains knowledge and connection to human life, but loses his old world. It reminded me a bit of the Adam and Eve story where they eat the fruit and become aware of themselves but everything changes.

What I’m really curious about now is how Enkidu and Gilgamesh are going to get along. Since Enkidu was basically created to challenge Gilgamesh who is also a demigod, I wonder if they’ll just fight or actually end up bonding somehow. I’m interested to see how their relationship plays out and what they might learn from each other.

The detail that jumped out to me in particular as I read through this part was the solution devised by the gods of the people of Uruk in putting an end to Gilgamesh’s treachery towards the people of Uruk which turns out to be creating a force that would clash with Gilgamesh and ultimately balance him out. It struck me as interesting because it reminded me of the yin and yang philosophy found in Taoism and rather than defeating Gilgamesh and taking him out of the picture entirely, Enkidu would come to serve as an invaluable counterpart to him. As with many concepts in history, concepts seem to repeat themselves and show up in distinct forms across different periods of time. 

I think the author was trying to communicate the idea that community is crucial no matter who you are and the results of the lack therefore are damaging. For instance, Gilgamesh who was described to be a demigod treated the people of Uruk wickedly and had no regard for them. He lacked a sense of connection to them and seemed incapable of empathizing with them because of how different he was from them. However, we see a positive change in Gilgamesh when Enkidu shows up and both him and Gilgamesh establish a deep bond. This introduces the idea of community and the impact it can have on an individual for the better or for the worse. I would like to find out if the two ever enter into a conflict and if they do, how they go about resolving it since neither can overcome the other.