Epic of Gilgamesh - the Barnes & Noble review
My purpose for reading this ancient work was strictly to satisfy my own curiosity. I do not pretend to have any great insight, nor do I offer here a scholarly treatise concerning this work. I just wanted to know if this 4,000 year old story could interest a modern reader looking for entertainment. In my opinion, it can.
Granted, the names of people and places are mostly unfamiliar, and the profusion of strange gods takes a bit of getting used to, but the story itself is a common one: The primary character, Gilgamesh, is searching for immortality. This search takes such various forms as heroic deeds, building monuments, and seeking out an immortal in hopes of discovering the secret. Whether or not he achieves his goal I will leave to you to discover.
The version of the Epic compiled by N.K. Sanders is primarily in prose. For myself, however, it was helpful to remember that it is really a poem. This gives purpose and meaning to the repetitions found throughout the narration and in several of the conversations. While the introduction to this version is nearly as long as the epic itself, it does give a good background for understanding the context and history of the stories.
I would recommend this story to anyone even remotely curious about ancient literature. This is about as ancient as it gets, it's fairly entertaining, and you can impress your friends and co-workers with your new-found knowledge of ancient Sumeria.
Enjoy.
-SET, 5/10/99