Thesis for Gilgamesh Essay

Prompt

Select one of the following passages from the Epic of Gilgamesh and discuss its significance to the epic as a whole. You might consider, among other things, what your chosen passage says about the poet/translator/artist’s conception of humanity or civilization, relationship to the natural environment, mortality as a shaping force, knowledge vs. wisdom.

Passage 1:

He who saw everything, did everything–you need his name?
The one who knew, and told us these things, even of the days before the flood?
Whose journey was that but his–that wore him down to the marrow?
Whose story of that journey, carved in stone–and by whom?
Who built the great wall around Uruk, and the temples for Anu, King of the gods,
protector of our city; and for his daughters, too–Ishtar, goddess of love?
The wall stands today, its burnt bricks shining like copper. See it? (Dixon 1)

Passage 2:

They coupled for a week.
Coming to, he glanced about, looking for his furry friends. Heads up, they spooked,
then fled as if he were a man!
It nearly killed him, he watched them disappear. He wondered at their speed, he who
till now had glorified at the head of any herd.
And then he caught himself, thinking of then, and thinking of now, and thus did he
begin with understanding.
He returned and sat himself as Shamhat’s feet. He gazed up at her, as if to say, Tell me
priestess, fill my head now as you have my loins. And she, pleased with things so far,
told him he was wise. (Dixon 7)

Passage 3:

Utnapishtim: ‘The find youth, the beautiful maid–see them? And did they know, in their beauty, they would finally breed death?
No… No one sees death.
No one looks for death’s face, no one turns to death’s voice, and yet– (…)
But I’m entertained, I’ve not talked in a while. Tell me, are you a builder of houses that
last forever?
The meticulous contract, you sealed it with an eternal signet? The brothers, their
families will live there forever, divvying shares for all time? And the contenders, will enmity last so long? You see what I’m saying?
When the river rises, and the land is drowned, does the earth become a sea
everlasting?
The dragonfly flits on the river, darting off into the sun–it has always been so, am I not right?
Will it flit before Shamash’s face forever? Say yes? And what of the night?
But I prate, while your eyelids grow heavy as pitch.
My point is nothing’s forever, certainly not staying awake–you need a bed!
But say I drew you a picture of such a one peace fully sleeping, and another utterly

dead, do you think you could say which was which? (Dixon 135-136)

Thesis Workshop & Guidelines

Make sure your thesis has these 3 elements:

1. Topic/Theme (What’s the one word idea that your paper will be about? Not too vague)
2. Position/Argument (Super Important! Do they answer the prompt? Something someone could disagree in a sentence)

Supporting Reasons/Rationale: Their three supporting reasons for their argument usually after the word “because..” and not plot points.