Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative Summary

Throughout the entire history of the earth, mankind has advanced from nomadic hunters and gatherers into the civilized people they are today. One region that played a profound impact on this development is Mesopotamia, the birthplace of civilization. Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative, a literary work from the time period, reveals many things about the society that created it. The narrative recounts the tale of the first great hero of ancient Mesopotamia and through his encounters, the culture, religion and the Sumerians way of life is demonstrated. For instance, the relationship between humans and gods that resound throughout the narrative, gender divisions, civilization versus nature and lastly, how the Sumerians lived.

The story of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest epics in world literature and was composed in Southern Mesopotamia before 2000 B.C. As mentioned and discovered by scientists, this writing was inscribed on twelve clay tables in cuneiform that depicted the way of life in Mesopotamia. During this period, a major factor influencing behavior, personal and political decision-making, and material culture was religion. Sumerians had a polytheistic belief system, which means that the people believed and worshipped multiple gods and goddesses. These deities were associated with forces of nature such as wind, water, air, or other phenomena such as the sun, moon and stars. Some of the gods and goddesses found in Gilgamesh include: Anu, the father of gods, Ishtar who was the