Hi folks! For this week’s response I’d like you to choose a moment from the end of the Epic and talk about what you think it means. What’s the overall message of the Epic to its audience, and how does this moment relate to it? Feel free to bring up insights you’re bringing up in your essay.

A key moment that stood out to me in Tablet 11 is when the snake steals the plant that Gilgamesh believes will grant him eternal life. The way the snake takes the plant it represents the fact that regardless of Gilgamesh's efforts death remains inevitable no matter what. This moment connects to the larger theme of the epic that while death is certain, it’s the way we choose to live and what we create and do while we still can. The walls of Uruk represent what he has accomplished and that true immortality is not in death but in creating something meaningful. This understanding changes his perspective from fearing death to valuing the significance of his actions.

1 I found it interesting how gilgamesh getting denied immortality was the only way for him to see that he already became part of history by the decisions he made and the way he changed his leadership. The wall was something he decides to build gor protection of his people and that change the way they saw him

2;the author was trying to show how even the small things makes a person great

3 I will like to learn other stories that can teach us about ancient people values.

A detail in “Tablet 11: Immortality Denied” was the fear Gilgamesh displayed upon witnessing the death of Enkidu. I was shocked that Gilgamesh was willing to venture off on a journey to find something or someone that can grant him immortality. Before Enkidu, Gilgamesh was a man who took pride in himself & valued his own priorities. By Enkidu’s passing, he was able to open up, cherish, love, and mourn him. I found it surprising that a demigods or gods in general can also face death. The author wanted to communicate the message of cherishing those around you as well as leaving a legacy with your work and achievements as Gilgamesh went on journeys and had celebrations with Enkidu. The message of The Epic of Gilgamesh was to not only depict but give an insight into the Sumerians and their understanding of the world. Gilgamesh was left with the same fate the Sumerians were, and it is the inevitably to avoid death. I would like to know if the same fate Enkidu faced aka death and eternity in the underworld, will be faced by Gilgamesh as well since he is a demigod.

I think the author is trying to communicate that no matter what Gilgamesh achieves and how close to divinity he'll get, he will never truly reach because he is human. Gilgamesh failed Uta-Napishtim's trials proving that he will remain human because he's not meant for immortality. The rules of nature dictate that he will die one day and he can't change that no matter what he does. I think with this scene the author wanted to portray the limits of humanity and the sheer difference between the deities and the mortals. I find it interesting that the death of Enkidu pushed Gilgamesh to strive for that immortality. It reminded me that Sumerians viewed life after death as bleak and where your connection to the world truly ends, and so immortality was the only way for him create a lasting legacy and never have to deal with his story's end.

One moment from Tablet 11 that really stood out to me is when Gilgamesh finds the plant that can restore youth, but then a snake steals it while he's taking a bath. After everything he went through to find it, losing it like that felt really unexpected and kind of heartbreaking. I think the author was trying to show that no matter how hard we try, we can’t escape death or control every outcome. This moment ties into the overall message of the epic, which seems to be that immortality isn’t something humans can achieve. Instead, it’s about learning to accept our mortality and finding meaning in the life we do have. Gilgamesh doesn’t get what he was looking for, but he gains wisdom and a new perspective. It made me curious about how the Mesopotamians thought about the afterlife and whether they believed anything lasted beyond death.

I think what the author is trying to communicate is there is a specific way of life that everyone has to accept. The times that they cursed the woman in the story was only when they found out how much power and influence they have as if it would “put them in their place”. Like when Enkidu was dying, he was cursing Shmahat. Each time they found out that the gods are nothing to mess with and may be trying to convey the idea that women regardless are to be protected and they do not hold such a low position in life as humans portray. I think it is still very similar to how the world operates today and looking forward to differentiating it.

At the end of the Epic the moment that stood out to me is when Gilgamesh returns to Uruk and looks at its great walls. It shows how he moves from chasing immortality to appreciating human achievements and community. I think the author wanted to show that people cannot escape death but can live on through what they build and the memories they leave. I would like to learn more about how the Sumerians thought about the afterlife and legacy.

In Tablet 7: The Death of Enkidu, the detail that stood out to me most was Gilgamesh’s refusal to bury his friend until the body began to decay. This struck me because it showed a very raw and human reaction to grief, even from a powerful king who was seen as part divine. The description makes clear that death was not only a physical loss but also an emotional and spiritual wound that deeply shook him.

I think the author wanted to communicate the universal reality of death and its impact, reminding readers that no one can escape mortality. Enkidu’s death forces Gilgamesh to confront his own limits and sets him on his quest for immortality. This moment reflects the larger theme of the Epic of Gilgamesh: that eternal life is beyond human reach, and true meaning is found in wisdom, legacy, and how one chooses to live. I would like to learn more about how the Sumerians imagined the afterlife, since their views seem darker than those in later traditions.

From Tablet 11, one detail that stood out to me was Gilgamesh’s failing of Uta-Napishtim’s challenges. Gilgamesh’s primary goal was to achieve immortality, and completing Uta-Napishtim’s trials would be his last obstacle to overcome, but despite surviving his previous trials, he can’t seem to beat something as seemingly simple as staying awake long enough or retrieving fruit. Maybe this was the author’s way of conveying that Gilgamesh was human all along; in the beginning of the story felt dissociated from the people of Uruk due to being a demi-god, but him failing Uta-Napishtim’s trials in the end proves that despite his demi-god status, he’s human and mortal like everyone else. I’d like to find out more about Uta-Napishtim and the story behind the Deluge.

It was interesting to read the thoughts going through the mind of Enkidu especially as he realizes the gods have chosen him to die. It was interesting because he was angry and started cursing everyone including Shamhat the person who civilized him. I think the author was trying to communicate the fact that everyone eventually dies using these two who were considered heroes and thought themselves godlike. This moment relates to the message of The Epic of Gilgamesh because Enkidu dies and it conveys the sad reality that is death. I would like to find out what are the next steps for Gilgamesh.

One moment I thought was most interesting is something in Tablet XI, where the snake comes out of nowhere from the rejuvenating plant and I thought that it's pretty ironic that this happens, as it shows that fate is still pretty cruel despite Gilgamesh's long adventure. In my opinion, the author is trying to tell us the readers that death is inevitable, and I think that makes the overall theme of the story feel a lot mor edeeper. Instead of trying to outlive death, you should take time to spend time with your friends, family and make your legacy.

One moment that was interesting was when Gilgamesh began his quest for immortality following Enkidu's death. Gilgamesh believed that he was invincible and that he could overcome any battle. However, he would receive a wake up call that he was only human after he lost his friend. The author's message in the story is about mortality and what it means to be human. Gilgamesh started searching for the secret to immortality because he's now afraid of the consequences of death. I would like learn more about how the people of Sumer handle death and legacy.

One detail that jumped out at me in particular as I read this passage was when Gilgamesh goes on the quests to seek immortality, particularly the quest to find and bring Utnaphishtim the plant that rejuvenates. The moment that really jumped out at me was when Gilgamesh found the plant and a snake took it away from him. To me, I feel that this part of the passage almost makes you think about how close immortality was to Gilgamesh, it was in his grasp and yet because it wasn’t for him, it slipped away. I think the author in this passage was trying to communicate that although Gilgamesh was striving for immortality and thought of it better than being a mortal, it truly was not because this was something not accessible for him. There was a lesson for him to learn in this. I believe there is a theme of the grass not always being greener on the other side entwined in this piece of the Epic. This moment relates to The Epic of Gilgamesh as a whole because the people of Sumer did not have a very optimistic view of life after death. Rather, their view was grim and dreary. This caused the Sumerians to look forward to achieving a lasting legacy during their lifetimes and to reach great achievements before death. 

I would like to find out more about the way in which Gilgamesh is towards the end and how he moves forward after failing both tests of immortality. 

The part that really stood out to me was where Gilgamesh doesn't just cry over Enkidu but goes into this crazy act of grief, commanding everything from the elders of Uruk to the rivers and lions to mourn with him. This was surprising because it shows how his friendship totally transformed him from a selfish king into someone capable of deep love, and it reflects a Sumerian worldview where human life was totally connected to nature and the gods. I think the author was using this reaction to show the epic's main point about the shock of mortality. this moment of total despair is what starts his whole quest for immortality and eventually leading him to realize that legacy is what matters. I’d actually love to learn more about real Sumerian funeral rites to see if Gilgamesh's actions were based on actual historical mourning from that time.