If you are looking for the beginning of the Epic of Gilgamesh study you should start HERE with the Historical introduction. The links to each set of study questions will be posted at the bottom of that original post as they are completed so you can easily find whichever section you are looking for.
Grammar Questions: (The Facts of the Text)
What did “the gods in heaven” decide in “their council” concerning the city of Shuruppak? (i)
What did Ea tell Utnapishtim to do? (i)
What does Ea tell Utnapishtim to put on “the boat you build?” (i)
What does Ea tell Utnapishtim to say to “the old men and the people?” (i)
What are the structural dimensions of the boat? (ii)
What does Utnapishtim do for those who come to help him build the boat? (ii)
What does Utnapshitim give to Puzuramurri? (ii)
What were the gods doing during the flood? (iii)
How many days did the storm last? (iii)
How many people survive the storm? (iii)
How many different birds does Utnapishtim send out and what kinds were they? (iii)
What does Utnapishtim do when he comes ashore from the boat? (iv)
Ea defends his actions in helping Utnapishtim by saying what about “punishment?” (iv)
What do the gods do for Utnapishtim and his wife after they endure this trial? (iv)
What challenge must Gilgamesh accomplish if he wants to become immortal? (iv)
Logic Questions: (The Interpretation of the Text)
Why does Utnapishtim tell Gilgamesh his story? (i-iv)
Why does Ea help Utnapishtim? (i-iv)
Why does Utnapishtim offer the people food and drink? (i-ii)
Shullat and Hanish are heralds “of the dread Adad.” Adad is the god of storms, so what might Shullat and Hanish be gods of which “herald” (announce) the coming of the storm god?
The text says, “Terrified gods got themselves up as high as they could go, nearest the highest heaven, cringing against the wall like beaten dogs.” (iii) What are some things we should infer from this statement about the gods?
What is the purpose in sending out birds from the boat? (iii)
Ea says in his defense that “The punishment should always fit the crime.” What does he mean by this? (iv)
Why do the gods (Enlil in particular) admit Utnapishtim and his wife into the company of the gods? (iv)
Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of the Text)
Utnapishtim asks, “What will I tell the old men and the people?” What do you think about Ea’s instructions as to what to tell them? Is this deception and, if so, is it right or wrong? Why? (i)
Taking this reading as a whole (i-iv) do you think there is a reason given for the great flood sent by the gods (Enlil in particular)?
Are the actions of Ea heroic and/or noble? (i-iv)
What are some ways Ea’s cleverness is shown in this story? (i-iv)
Theological Analysis: (Bringing the Scripture to Bear on the Text)
There is no ignoring the striking similarities between Utnapishtim’s story and that of Noah. What are some logical possibilities for making sense of these similarities? (i-iv)
Read Genesis 6. What is the explicit reason given for why Yahweh (the God of the Bible) decides to destroy the earth by flood? How is this different from what we see in Gilgamesh?
Ea tells Utnapishtim to “Take with you, on the boat you build, an instance of each thing living so that they may be safe from obliteration in the flood.” (i) Compare this to Yahweh’s instructions to Noah in Genesis 6:19-22 and Genesis 7:1-5. What is similar and what is different?
What else does Utnapishtim make sure to load onto his boat which Noah’s parallel story makes no mention of in Genesis 6-7 when the Ark is being loaded? (ii) What might we infer from this?
Who helps Utnapishtim build his boat? (ii) Does Genesis 6-7 mention anything those who are about to be destroyed helping Noah?
Who seals Utnapishtim into his boat? (ii) Who seals Noah and his family into the Ark? (Gen 7:16)
How does the general portrayal of the gods in Tablet XI parts i-iv differ from the way the Bible portrays Yahweh?
Both Utnapishtim (iv) and Noah (Genesis 9) offer a sacrifice after leaving their boats. What similarities and differences do you see in the account of those sacrifices and the response of the gods versus the response of Yahweh.
What other similarities and differences do you find when comparing the story of Utnapishtim and Noah? What do you take away from these similarities and differences?
Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)
Deception, Death, Justice, Eucatastrophe