Classic Stories Summarized

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Steven C. Shaffer

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The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known works of literature, originates from ancient Mesopotamia, likely composed around 2100 BCE in Sumerian, with later Akkadian versions, notably the Standard Babylonian version from the 13th–10th centuries BCE. Preserved on clay tablets in cuneiform script, the epic emerged from the city-state of Uruk (modern-day Iraq), reflecting the cultural, religious, and social values of Mesopotamian civilization. It draws on earlier Sumerian tales about Gilgamesh, a semi-historical king of Uruk, blending myth, history, and theology to explore themes of mortality, friendship, and humanity’s place in the cosmos. Discovered in the 19th century at Nineveh, the epic’s 12 tablets reveal a world where gods interact closely with humans, and heroic deeds confront existential fears, offering insight into the ancient Near Eastern worldview.

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