Read Gilgamesh Verse Narrative Herbert Mason Pdf
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It is an old storyThe Epic of Gilgamesh is the world'south oldest work of literature, dating back at least to 2,000 B.C. It is the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, who becomes best friends with Enkidu. They travel to the Cedar Forest and kill a monster named Humbaba, and soon thereaft
Merely one that can still be told
About a human being who loved
And lost a friend to death
And learned he lacked the ability
To bring him back to life.
It is the story of Gilgamesh
And his friend Enkidu.
—Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative
It is an old storyThe Ballsy of Gilgamesh is the world's oldest work of literature, dating dorsum at least to 2,000 B.C. It is the story of Gilgamesh, the rex of Uruk, who becomes best friends with Enkidu. They travel to the Cedar Forest and kill a monster named Humbaba, and soon thereafter also kill the Balderdash of Heaven to protect Uruk. But when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is so distraught that he crosses the Waters of Expiry to try to find the secret to eternal life to bring back Enkidu.
Only one that can nonetheless be told
About a man who loved
And lost a friend to decease
And learned he lacked the power
To bring him back to life.
It is the story of Gilgamesh
And his friend Enkidu.
—Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative
But what may make this story unique—even among aboriginal works of literature—is that there is no single, complete copy of The Epic of Gilgamesh. Instead, the tale has been pieced together by scholars from a variety of fragments of dirt tablets establish throughout the Center East since the 1800s. There are several formal translations that attempt to translate every word from the overlapping sources, and to note all of the breaks and gaps. Even these translations vary significantly, depending non just on stylistic differences of the various translators, but on which source they use every bit their main text.
For the formal version of The Epic of Gilgamesh, I read the Andrew George translation. The story is in that location, but information technology is not an easy read. Some of that difficulty is due to the gaps and the scholarly asides that pull the reader out of the story. But the formal translation also feels similar an ancient story. It'due south a bit clunky and quite repetitive in lots of places. There are lots of descriptions of rituals throughout that seem unnecessarily long. And the emotions displayed often feel less 18-carat and more performative, such equally this quotation from shortly afterwards Enkidu'southward death: "O Enkidu, may the paths [of] the Forest of Cedar mourn you [without pause,] by day and by night!" It's an emotional story told in a rather emotionless fashion, at least to a modernistic reader.
In improver to the formal version, I likewise read Gilgamesh: A Poetry Narrative. Unlike the formal translations, this volume attempts to capture the core story without being beholden to every repetition or gap. It reads more like i of the modern retellings of Beowulf. With many of the repetitions and scenes of rituals stripped abroad, there's a much greater focus on Enkidu's expiry, Gilgamesh's grief, and his feelings of loss and loneliness. There may be some poetic license taken in the poetry narrative, only the core of the story not only remains, but is greatly enhanced by beingness much more personal and emotional:
It is that inner atmosphere that hasThe Ballsy of Gilgamesh is a foundational work of literature. It may be a source or inspiration for numerous biblical stories, from Noah and the great flood to the idea of treacherous snakes. It's a tale well-nigh friendship, death, grief, and living afterwards loss—primal experiences of beingness alive. I'd recommend reading Gilgamesh: A Poesy Narrative first or alongside The Epic of Gilgamesh to get the fullest emotional punch from the story. Recommended.
An unfamiliar gravity or none at all
Where words are flung out in the air but stay
Motionless without an answer,
Hovering about one'due south lips
Or arguing dorsum to haunt
The retentivity with what 1 failed to say,
Until one learns acceptance of the silence
Amidst the new debris
Or turns over again to grief
Every bit the only source of privacy,
Solitary with someone loved.
Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative: four.v stars rounded upward to 5.
The Ballsy of Gilgamesh: 3.5 stars rounded up to iv.
Gilgamesh was called a god and a homo; Enkidu was an animal and a man. Information technology is the story of their condign human together.Absurd story bro.
This felt like a very overnice verse form, only not Gilgamesh. Other reviews I've read have rightly called attending to Herbert Mason'southward lack of agreement of the contemporary polytheism and its deep connection to the story itself, a detail which I believe ties in with what is in my stance the major flaw in Mason's work: Westernisation. The original text felt filtered
Gilgamesh was called a god and a man; Enkidu was an animal and a man. It is the story of their condign man together.Cool story bro.
This felt like a very nice verse form, but not Gilgamesh. Other reviews I've read have rightly called attention to Herbert Mason'south lack of understanding of the contemporary polytheism and its deep connection to the story itself, a detail which I believe ties in with what is in my opinion the major flaw in Stonemason's work: Westernisation. The original text felt filtered through the modern, western lens of Mason's translation, and that detracted from the value of the story.
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I liked Herbert Bricklayer'south version of the Gilgamesh story for what it was. I wouldn't really call this version an "Epic" of Gilgamesh, which is really my merely complaint about it.
The poetry was lovely, but it was modern. The Gods aren't besides prominent; Stonemason shows a lack of understanding of ancient polytheism in that he doesn't make the gods and of import aspect of the story as opposed to a plot device. The gods
If I could give this three.75 stars I would, but I feel no shame in rounding that number upwards.I liked Herbert Bricklayer's version of the Gilgamesh story for what it was. I wouldn't actually call this version an "Epic" of Gilgamesh, which is really my simply complaint near it.
The poetry was lovely, but it was modern. The Gods aren't besides prominent; Mason shows a lack of understanding of aboriginal polytheism in that he doesn't make the gods and important aspect of the story as opposed to a plot device. The gods in this version feel like they're there to practise things, not be characters.
Too, there aren't every bit many ballsy themes emphasized. Glory and immortality are main ideas of the epic of Gilgamesh; in this version they play sideshow to grief, weakness, fearfulness and loss. This is fine-the story works wonderfully this mode- but it isn't entirely similar to the original; this is an important quality of translation or retelling for me personally.
Despite this, Mason, like other "retellings" of the Gilgamesh story, shifts the focus adeptly onto more modern (usually westernized, just this is okay for me since I am from the West) themes that underly the original ballsy. Ane of his main focuses is weakness, which he takes from a side theme in the old epic and makes a major point of personal conflict within Gilgamesh and Enkidu in the starting time one-half of the story.
The same affair happens with loss and grief, and the story comes out being very touching and almost tragic. The ending lines reverberate this new tone, and I quite liked the scene of Enkidu's death as well as the last lines of the poem.
If y'all are a fan of the Gilgamesh story and take read more traditionally based translations first (Andrew George's translation is an splendid starting signal if you haven't) then I would say this might be of interest to you as it was to me. Or, if yous want an attainable version of Gilgamesh, this would also suit you. Nonetheless, accept into business relationship that this version isn't totally true in tone and even pocket-size details of the story to the originals.
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TWO STARS awarded for capturing, I think, a moment in our humanity wherein we gave up our Nomadic ways to comprehend city life. I don't commonly give multiple stars, but in my view this is the
GILGAMESH is a story found on clay tablets in the 1800s. It dates back to at least 2100BC. Connected to Sumerian culture (Mesopotamia), it is regarded every bit the oldest known literary work. Simply for that, it's getting five stars. Just permit's highlight some things worth our time when investing in this narrative poem.TWO STARS awarded for capturing, I think, a moment in our humanity wherein we gave up our Nomadic ways to embrace city life. I don't usually requite multiple stars, but in my view this is the best lens in which to read GILGAMESH. Enkido begins the story. He is a wild homo from the Steppe. He is happy living among the animals. Merely he is tempted (by sex) to the villages...and quickly decides to take on the king, Gilgamesh...mainly over a dispute involving Gilgamesh's power to take sexual practice with every virgin before they are wed. Gilgamesh and Enkido clash! But instead of killing Gilgamesh, they become friends. To me, this is all virtually moving away from nomadic lifestyles and animalistic / Alpha male type behaviors to instead embrace (literally) the pall of the Modern Man. Enkido volition pay a heavy toll for this. Which brings us to our next...
2 STARS awarded for Gilgamesh's quest into the underworld to try and bring his friend back to life. Little does Gilgamesh know, but this is a fool'due south errand. Only he nigh kills himself over it. Everyone else has already forgotten Enkido, but Gilgamesh stubbornly hangs on...until he can't anymore. It's almost as if Enkido represented Gilgamesh in an earlier form. Gilgamesh....not Enkido...is the one that'southward actually dying here. But its a cultural death. Gilgamesh eventually forgets Enkido's proper noun and story. Because that part of him...the cultural part of Gilgamesh/Mankind that lived nomadically and at 1 with nature and more animalistically...is gone. Information technology takes upward the bulk of the epic and it is a wonderfully clear complaining over the loss of someone you truly truly dearest.
I STAR awarded for all the references here that ended upward in all the other literature we read that we consider classic and Holy. The Noah story is the most famous one to mention here. And I have to say I similar the Sumerian version of information technology (the OG so to speak). Nosotros become away from Noah and animals, and it becomes angrier and sadder. Sumerian Noah has been given the status of a god for his assistance in providing the loophole needed in order to kill everything. But this does not make full Sumerian Noah with reverence. Instead information technology makes him hide away and regret. Christian Noah does become a raging alcoholic, then I practice meet the parallels emotionally. Instead of being offended to retrieve of Noah as (GASP!) a story...Christians would do better for themselves to EMBRACE the story of Noah (not the truth of Noah). Comparing and contrasting these 2 versions would bring out a wealth of conversation.
There'south a nice origin myth thrown in at the stop...the flower that has the actual power to bring new life...that is finally discovered past Gilgamesh. Just before he tin can use it he decides to accept a long bathroom...and a serpent eats it...and immediately sheds his peel. Yeah...the snake is given a great shoutout in Genesis (some other beautiful Poem...not a real story)...in Genesis, information technology explains why the serpent has no legs. In Gilgamesh, information technology explains how snakes can shed their skin.
A quick read that should be savored and discussed, specially if you are religious and love to get closer to your religion through Socratic conversation.
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From Mason's autobiographical postscript, detailing how the manuscript came to be and who influenced him: "And anybody is wise in maxim, There is nothing you tin can do; but such wi
It's virtually Grief™️ and loss and living with/after the absence of those nosotros dear. How can so brusk a read hurt and then much?? (I really appreciated Mason'southward skill in painting a scene with just a few words, giving us not just Gilgamesh and Enkidu only the people witnessing them; too appreciated the commencement and ending in Uruk.)From Stonemason's autobiographical postscript, detailing how the manuscript came to be and who influenced him: "And everyone is wise in saying, There is nada y'all can do; but such wisdom does not reconcile whatever of us really to loss, for nosotros knew the other as a person in himself not equally an abstraction we could do without."
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Enkidu was a wild man who ran with the animals. A hunter saw him and 1000
Gilgamesh is a cruel king who, by birthright, has sex activity with all the women before their husband can. Besides, he fabricated his people toil nearly to death to build a wall around the urban center - merely to let the wall decay and crumble. He was cruel and he was solitary. Gilgamesh is 2/3 god and 1/3 man considering math doesn't matter when god and human being make a infant - patently the god, being more powerful, makes upwards a larger portion of the offspring.Enkidu was a wild human being who ran with the animals. A hunter saw him and idea "that'south not right" so he asked Gilgamesh to send a prostitute to tame him. After the prostitute taught Enkidu almost human life, he decided that Gilgamesh was a bad king and he went to fight him. They fight and then immediately get best friends.
They become together and kill Humbaba and so they kill the Bull of Heaven. The gods are mad at them for this and decide that one of them must die. They choose Enkidu to die because Gilgamesh is 2/3 god. Gilgamesh is devastated at the loss of his friend, so he seeks Utnapishtim for the hugger-mugger of immortality to bring Enkidu back.
Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh his story, and the exhausted, grieving man savage asleep. Utnapishtim was annoyed and told his wife to bake a loaf of bread for every day he slept simply to taunt him I guess. On the 7th mean solar day he woke him upwardly and tried to send him away. Gilgamesh cried in grief and Utnapishtim'southward wife convinced him to tell about the thorny plant in the river that will grant immortality.
Gilgamesh tied rocks to his anxiety and sank to the bottom of the river to detect the glowing plant. When he returned with the plant, he left it unguarded while he bathed and a snake stole it from him.
That'south information technology. That'due south how the story ends. Gilgamesh doesn't win. Enkidu never comes dorsum.
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What one finds in reading the direct translation is that much of the story is unclear, lost to time due to linguistic lack of clarity and damage to
It's worth noting up forepart that this is an interpretation of the original text, not a translation. I chose to read the translation of the original epic itself that apparently inspired the author of this text, specifically the E.A. Speiser translation that I constitute in The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictured, edited by James Pritchard.What ane finds in reading the direct translation is that much of the story is unclear, lost to time due to linguistic lack of clarity and harm to the tablets themselves, every bit well as conflicting accounts in Babylonian and Sumerian versions. So reading information technology straight is not an inherently enjoyable feel, as y'all're confronted with a fragmented story, complete enough to intrigue, but decidedly not consummate. All the same, the last arc with the Utnapishtim/Noah character holds together and is probably the reason that well-nigh people revisit the ballsy anyway.
So as far as this detail text is concerned, Mason wants to fill in the gaps. He creates clear narrative arcs, draws the stories of Gilgamesh and Enkidu into parallel from the first, and fleshes out the pairs' adventures earlier Enkidu's death. The biggest modify is probably his interpretation of the Utnapishtim story, making the graphic symbol more invested in Gilgamesh and less resigned to ask whether we build houses that they may stand up forever.
All of these changes are designed to draw the modern reader into a way of reading a story that captivated our ancestors and communicate a sense of that mystery today. I recollect it is worthwhile belongings this version and the original together; they can interrogate one some other in interesting ways, and I think it works better than either of them on their own.
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Every bit a story Gilgamesh is an enjoyable read. And while they are's some similarities between it and the Scriptures in that location's likewise some motives that information technology shares more readily with other not-scriptural, aboriginal texts. Specifically the hero and his pride is more often than not more exulted in epic poetry than in Scriptures. Even the bulk of the Biblical warriors take more suffering on account of their pride.
But this is merely supposed to be a review of a book and not some theological comparative written report. Equally a mess and as a story the epic of Gilgamesh ranks right up there with the best of them. While it struggles with some repetitive problems that are common place in the genre, information technology is no more guilty than either Homer, Plato or Moses. Ane last comparison and I'll be done. Something in this translation fabricated information technology read more than like Plato's Republic in that information technology seem to be more or less aimed at potential rulers and how to rule justly.
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Now in Gilgamesh we walk the path of Assyria's precious birthplace and its cradle of humanity . Fragmented , fragile, and awaiting an opportunist !-
Any opportunity to bear artillery for history is worth reading nigh, debating and revising sahnbct2018 ...more
I was assigned to read it for a Earth Mythology class I'm taking this quarter, and I wasn't entirely certain what I was going into. Certain, I'd heard pieces of the story since I was a kid, but I had never actually read - or understood - information technology. It stayed like that, too, equally I went through the book quickly at first, because I'm a procrastinator and hadn't given myself enough fourth dimension to read it before class. But after realizing I probably should read it again for my grade's sake, I found a This volume astounds me.
I was assigned to read it for a Earth Mythology course I'm taking this quarter, and I wasn't entirely sure what I was going into. Sure, I'd heard pieces of the story since I was a child, but I had never really read - or understood - it. Information technology stayed like that, too, every bit I went through the book speedily at first, considering I'm a procrastinator and hadn't given myself plenty fourth dimension to read it before course. But after realizing I probably should read it again for my grade's sake, I found a whole new perspective.
This book is beautiful.
I had no thought that I was nearly to read such an incredible story of friendship and dear and loss and becoming human. Information technology's astounding how authentic and important this volume is even today, thousands of years after it was written by that mysterious writer of ancient Mesopotamia. Thanks, whoever you were, for giving the world this tale.
And so, yeah. Read information technology, be weirded out considering information technology is weird, merely and so read information technology again carefully and realize how incredible it is. ...more than
I'd heard of the epic saga of Gilgamesh before hadn't read information technology til now. Words like "epic" and "saga" bring to listen multivolume series consisting of dozens of thousands of pages.
I was thus surprised to discover that Gilgamesh's story was quite brief and that within the volume, was barely as long as the accompanying after (yes, plural) and footnotes.
Despite that, I'thou very satisf
1 of the interesting things about ebooks is the lack of a direct and immediate sensation of heft, and indirectly, length.I'd heard of the epic saga of Gilgamesh earlier hadn't read it til now. Words like "epic" and "saga" bring to heed multivolume series consisting of dozens of thousands of pages.
I was thus surprised to find that Gilgamesh's story was quite brief and that inside the book, was barely as long as the accompanying afterwards (yeah, plural) and footnotes.
Despite that, I'm very satisfied with Stonemason's work. I could "hear" the narrative in my caput, a sign of good poetry. The story itself gave me goosebumps; an animal who had his natural godhood stolen from past humans and a demigod who became more than human through loss and wisdom.
It's quite easy to see parallels to other books and serial I've read, and easier notwithstanding to see why -- despite its incompleteness and brevity, Gilgamesh'due south story is ballsy.
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"For being human holds a special grief / of privacy inside the universe..."
If you read this, read the several afterwords every bit well, peculiarly Herbert Mason'south afterward explaining his experience
In the fall, one of my students described the story Gilgamesh with a passion and enthusiasm I'd never heard a young man requite an aboriginal epic. I knew vaguely of the story, but had never read it. I'm quite glad I decided to read this version, with the immediacy and depth of friendship and loss was profound."For being human being holds a special grief / of privacy within the universe..."
If y'all read this, read the several afterwords every bit well, especially Herbert Bricklayer's afterward explaining his experience with the epic.
Of loss, Stonemason wrote "...everyone is wise in saying, There is nothing you tin practise; only such wisdom does not reconcile any of us really to loss. For we know the other as a person in himself, not as an abstraction we could do without. Nosotros lost the 1 who nosotros didn't realize enabled the states to live in other people'due south worlds; now we have only our ain individual world and the almost herculean task of constructing a human reentry."
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I loved the prose. Gilgamesh'south grief for Enkidu was the most accurately portrayed I've e'er seen, and it was sincerely moving.
Merely I have a big, big problem with how the translator Christianized information technology. All the talk of Hell and Heaven and sinners and referring to a 1 Creator where the pronouns were fifty-fifty capitalized? The afte
I've never read Gilgamesh before, and upon looking at other reviews I see that peradventure this wasn't the best version to start with, merely information technology's the ane my library had so here we are.I loved the prose. Gilgamesh'due south grief for Enkidu was the most accurately portrayed I've ever seen, and information technology was sincerely moving.
But I take a big, big problem with how the translator Christianized information technology. All the talk of Hell and Heaven and sinners and referring to a one Creator where the pronouns were even capitalized? The later fifty-fifty acknowledged he did this and said it'southward inevitable with any modern translation. That'due south then, then disrespectful to the origin of the story that, even though it well-nigh made me cry on my dejeuner interruption, I can't requite it more than three stars. Hopefully I'll like another version improve.
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I am directly up Non OKAY.
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"A man sees expiry in things.
That is what it is to be a man. Y'all'll know
When you have lost the strength to meet
The way y'all once did. You'll be alone and wander
Looking for that life that is gone or some
Eternal life you lot take to detect."
"Await at the strong man who wants life;
Sleep follows him like his shadow"
"A human being sees expiry in things.
That is what information technology is to exist a man. You'll know
When you lot have lost the strength to meet
The way you once did. You'll be alone and wander
Looking for that life that is gone or some
Eternal life you have to notice."
"Look at the potent man who wants life;
Sleep follows him like his shadow"
In fact I have started a search for a text describing, in a more fulsome manner, that which the second book has pique
Two books actually... The Gilgamesh Story and Almost the Gilgamesh. The commencement is interesting for the range of emotions it relates and for those parts which course the nucleus of other classic books. I requite that book iii stars. The 2nd book is across fascinating for its description of how the first book has been recovered from fragments, oral traditions, etc. I give that volume five stars.In fact I have started a search for a text describing, in a more fulsome fashion, that which the 2nd volume has piqued my involvement.
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merely it really is.
information technology'south crazy to think that this volume, the text of which was written 4,000 years ago, can still stand up up to today'south high standards. information technology's similar lord of the rings or journey to the heart of the earth, merely and so much amend.
I thought this would merely be some other deadening school curriculum book, just it certainly wasn't. gilgamesh is the story of friendship, love, loss, and grief, and i'd highly recommend
is information technology nerdy to think that this is one of the all-time books i've read in awhile? probably.just it really is.
it's crazy to think that this book, the text of which was written four,000 years ago, can all the same stand up upwardly to today's loftier standards. it'southward like lord of the rings or journeying to the center of the earth, only so much ameliorate.
I idea this would only be another boring schoolhouse curriculum volume, but it certainly wasn't. gilgamesh is the story of friendship, love, loss, and grief, and i'd highly recommend you give information technology a read.
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I felt his hurting, and loved him for information technology. Swell book and easy to read.
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And has, for centuries,
For being human holds a special grief
Of privacy within the universe
That yearns and waits to be retouched
By someone who can have away
The retention of death."
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