• My topic is: the other side of Gilgamesh. It can be found on page 132. (JC)

• Why would Enkidu curse Shamash (pg.145) and Shamhat (146)? Why he changes his curse to bless towards Shamhat, but not towards Shamash? (pg. 148) (PY)

• What is the significance of Enkidu’s death and friendship with Gilgamesh? (SM) [p. 149?]

• Why does Gilgamesh risk his life because he fears death? (AR) [163?, 170?]

• Why does Enkidu start out as Gilgamesh’s rival, and by the end of the story they become friends and Gilgamesh will go to the end of the world for him? Would anyone really do all of this for someone who originally came to kill them? (165-167) (AW)

• My question on the second half of Gilgamesh is, “Is Gilgamesh’s quest for immortality useless? Time is often repeated to him (even in the first half) as fleeting (e.g., pp. 93, 168-9). By pursuing the unattainable he wastes precious time in his mortal life.” (EA)

• Perseverance—pg. 176 1st paragraph (KH)

• “Utnapishtim said, ‘Gilgamesh, why prolong your grief? Have you ever paused to compare your own blessed lot with a fool’s?’” (page 176). Is Gilgamesh spoiled by his greatness? (BF)

• My question will be: Why does the theme of the story change so suddenly? It seems to transition from a story about power to a story about the dangers of greed. (page 176-177) (PW)

• Death and immortality as the main theme and lesson—178 and 179 (DM)

• Irony, around page 190 (AR)

• I would like to discuss the quote, “all men are liars” p. 192 (JC)

• I am confused about how Gilgamesh and the boatman got back to Uruk after they used the 300 poles to get across the waters of death (pp. 196-199). How did they return without the poles? (CS)

• Question: What was the purpose/meaning of the end of the story? (WF) [pp. 197-8?, pp. 198-9?]

• Why do you think the story ends so abruptly? (AR)