Mapping the Journeys in the Epic of Gilgamesh

Heaven

Heaven

Location: In Heaven

Characters: The Gods

Summary: The people of Uruk are mad with Gilgamesh's behavior so they pray to the gods for help. Anu who is the sky god and is the father of all the other gods. He hears the prayers, so he calls the goddess Aruru who created humans. She is told to make another human to take on Gilgamesh. She makes a man named Enkidu. ‘You made him, O Aruru; now create his

equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his

second self; stormy heart for stormy heart. Let them

contend together and leave Uruk in quiet.'

Waterhole/Forest

Waterhole

Location: The waterhole and forest

Characters: Enkidu, Trapper, Trappers Father

Summary: Enkidu is drinking water with his heard, when a trapper spots him, the trapper is terrified and goes to his father. After three days of seeing Enkidu at the waterhole he decides to go ask his dad what to do. His dad says he needs to go to the city of Uruk and go to Gilgamesh. The trappers dad said he will send you on a journey with Shamhat, who will try to make Enkidu not a wild man anymore. ‘My son, in Uruk lives Gilgamesh; no one has ever prevailed against him, he is strong as a star from heaven. Go to Uruk, find Gilgamesh, extol the strength of this wild

man. Ask him to give you a harlot, a wanton from the temple of love; return with her, and let her woman's power

overpower this man. When next he comes down to drink at the wells she will be there, stripped naked; and when he sees

her beckoning he will embrace her, and then the wild beasts will reject him.'

Uruk Adventure

Location: Gilgamesh's Home/Temple

Characters: Gilgamesh, Trapper, Shamat

Summary: The trapper travels to Uruk and finds Gilgamesh and tell him about his problem. Gilgamesh says exactly what the trappers father said he would say. So the trapper goes with Shamhat back to the forest. ‘Trapper, go back, take with you a harlot, a

child of pleasure. At the drinking hole she will strip, and when, he sees her beckoning he will embrace her and the game

of the wilderness will. surely reject him.'

Uruk

In the wild

Location: wilderness

Characters: Enkidu, Shamat

Summary: When Enkidu sees Shamat they do the dirty and when Enkidu returns to his heard he feel different and not the same he cannot run as fast anymore to keep up with the other animals. The reason for this is because he has been civilized, Shamat tell Enkidu that they should go back to Uruk and meet Gilgamesh. But Enkidu agrees to go only if he can fight Gilgamesh for what he has done to him. Shamat tells Enkidu that if he trys to fight Gilgamesh he might get more then he can chew. ‘Come, woman, and take me to that holy temple, to the house of Anu and of Ishtar, and to the place where Gilgamesh lords it over the people. I will challenge him boldly, I will cry out aloud in Uruk, "I am the strongest here, I have come to

change the old order, I am he who was born in the hills, I am he who is strongest of all."' (pg. 5)

The wild

Gilgamesh's Dream

Location: The wild but is set in Uruk

Charecters: Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh's Mother

Summary: Shamat is telling Enkidu about all the dreams Gilgamesh has. She also tells Enkidu of when Gilgamesh tells his mom (the goddess Ninsun) that he had weird dream in his sleep, he dreamed of a meteorite fell on the ground next to him. When he tried to pick it up he couldn't because it was way to heavy, all of Uruk gathered around the meteor. He ended up "marrying" the meteor so his mom could tell him that it meant he was going to get a new friend. ‘This star of heaven which descended like a

meteor from the sky; which you tried to lift,- but found too heavy, when you tried to move it it would not budge, and

so you brought it to my feet; I made it for you, a goad and spur, and you were drawn as though to a woman. This is

the strong comrade, the one who brings help to his friend in his need. He is the strongest of wild creatures, the stuff

of Anu; born in the grass-lands and the wild hills reared him; when you see him you will be glad; you will love him

as a woman and he will never forsake you. This is the meaning of the dream.' (pg. 5)

Gilgamesh's Dream

The Beginning

Location: Uruk

Charecters: Enkidu, Gilgamesh

Summary: Enkidu and Gilgamesh battle it out and the people of Uruk were amazed to see that someone could take on the mighty king. After Enkidu surrenders to Gilgamesh they become friends, Enkidu tells Gilgamesh about a demon in the Cedar forest. Humbaba. After Gilgamesh hears this he is entitiled to fight this demon. So the two set off on there quest and this is the begining of the journey. 'I have not established my name stamped on bricks as my destiny decreed; therefore I will go to the country where the cedar is felled. I will set up my name in the place where the names of famous men are written, and where- no man's name is written yet I will wise a monument to the gods. Because o£ the evil that is in the land, we will go to the forest and destroy the evil; for in the forest lives Humbaba whose name is "Hugeness", , a ferocious giant. (pg. 7)

The Cry for Help

Location: Cedar forest

Characters: Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Shamash

Summary: After traveling for a few days thye finally arrive at the edge of the forest were Gilgamesh starts to panic. He begins to cry and calls out to Shamash for help, Shamash reponds by telling him to stop being scared and tells him what Humbaba wears for armour. After hearing this Enkidu loses his courage and Gilgamesh says some words of wisdom about how teamwork is key when they fight him. Then they walk into Cedar forest. 'O Shamash, hear me, hear me, Shamash, let my voice be heard. Here in the city man dies oppressed at heart, man perishes with despair in his heart. I have looked over the wall and I see the bodies floating on the river, and that will be my lot also. Indeed I know it is so, for whoever is tallest among men cannot reach the heavens, and the greatest cannot encompass the earth. Therefore I would enter that country: because I have not established my name stamped on brick as my destiny decreed, I will go to the country where the cedar is cut. I will set up my name where the names of famous men are written; and where no man's name is written I will raise a monument to the gods.'

The Mountain

Location: Mountain

Characters: Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Shamash

Summary: They all arrive at a mountain and before they all go to sleep Gilgamesh prays Shmash for dream, after that Enkidu preforms a ritual to better the chances. In the middle of the night Gilgamesh wakes up and dreams that the mountain falls on the two, Enkidu says it means its represnts Humbaba. In the morning they move to the next mountain where this time Gilgamesh and Enkidu have a dream, but this time Gilgamesh has the best dream. Its about a wild bull that almost killed them but a figure saved them. Enkidu says the bull was Shamash and the savior was Shamash's dead dad. ‘Your dream is good, your dream is excellent, the mountain which you saw is

Humbaba. Now, surely, we will seize and kill him, and throw his body down as the mountain fell on the plain.' (pg.9)

Enkidu's Death

Enkidu's death

Location: Enkidu's bedroom

Characters: Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Shamash, Enlil, Kings and Queens from the Underworld

Summary: Enkidu get sick from a curse that Humbaba. The dream comes true and Enkidu grows very sick, he is feeling self pity and curses the cedar gates. Enkidu says he would've chopped the gates up if he knew his fate, Gilgamesh told Enkidu if he stopped cursing everyone he will make a gold statue that he brought everywhere with him. Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh greaves. 'My friend, the great goddess cursed me and I must die in shame. I shall not die

like a man fallen in battle; I feared to fall, but happy is the man who falls in the battle, for I must die in shame.' And Gilgamesh wept over Enkidu. (pg. 14)