Here is the synopsis of our sample research paper on Gilgamesh, Sumer and Religion. Have the paper e-mailed to you 24/7/365.
Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page essay that draws upon the Epic of Gilgamesh in order to discuss its implications in regards to Sumerian religion and how the gods were perceived. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: KL9_khgilsumre.doc
Buy This Term Paper »
Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
friend Enkidu, the wild man who was created by the gods in order to distract Gilgamesh from oppressing his people. This ancient epic, recorded on clay tablets in cuneiform, offers
insight into how Sumerians perceived their relationship with their gods. Examination of the epic indicates that people of Sumer viewed themselves as entirely dependent on the will of gods who
they envisioned as capricious and unpredictable. Scholars believe that ancient peoples formulated their religious beliefs in order to explain natural phenomenon. Sumer, which was located between the Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers, depended on the annual flooding of these rivers for the success of their agriculture. However, unlike the Nile in Egypt, the annual flood was not predictable and it
could be extremely erratic. Therefore, Sumerians envisioned the gods controlling the flood to be as unpredictable as the rivers. However, as the gods always eventually sent the flood and its
benefits, as well as its sometimes violence, they also saw the gods as providing for the good of humanity. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods provide benefit to
humanity by creating Enkidu as a means of civilizing Gilgamesh, who is initially portrayed as an egotistical despot who ignites unrest, rather than preserving the civil peace, because he insists
on having sex with every bride on her wedding night. It was an imperative belief in the ancient world that for society to exist, there had to be a hero,
a mighty leader, to protect it. The epic describes Gilgamesh as being such a hero, as "Two-thirds of him is god, one-third is human" (Gilgamesh Tablet I). But, his behavior
caused such problems that the people prayed to the gods for intervention and the gods answered their prayers by creating Enkidu. After Enkidu becomes civilized, due to the intervention
...