Composition of the Gilgamesh Epic
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History: The Ancient World, Prehistory-476
- Categories: Literature, Publishing, Religion, Ethics, Mythology, Folklore
- Subcategories: Poetry, Poets, Legends, Myths
- Curriculum: Middle Eastern History, Ancient History
- Geographical Location: Iraq, Mesopotamia
- Date: c. 2000
Article abstract: The composition of the oldest surviving epic poem captured Sumerian myth and legend and provided significant comparisons with the later Old Testament.
Summary of Event
The Gilgamesh epic (translated into English as Gilgamesh Epic, 1917) is the oldest extant epic poem and Gilgamesh, legendary king of Uruk, the first literary hero in history. Apart from the similarity of the flood episode to the account given in Genesis 7 of the Bible, Gilgamesh is worthy of study because he reveals the typical pessimism and insecurity felt by man...
[The entire page is 1600 words long]
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