http://l-adam-mekler.com/gilg201.htm

Gilgamesh (ca. 1900-250 B.C.E.)
Trans. N. K. Sandars

Things to Consider:

• Maps of Mesopotamia
• Conventions of Epic Poetry (see pp. 36)
  • Oral tradition: repetition of key words and phrases, monologues
    
  • Focus on National Hero
  • Intervention of Gods in Human Affairs
  • Motifs:
    • Mourning for a friend
    • Return after challenging adventures
    • God’s council and preferences
      
• Relationship between Gods and Humans, Gods and Gods
• Glory and Immortality
  
• Role of Enkidu, in life and death
• The Flood
• Position of Women in Society
• Dreams
• See discussion of some secondary sources

** Homework Questions ** (See 2nd and 3rd Sets of Q’s)
Background Questions:
(Norton Introduction):
33:

• Where is/was Uruk?
• On what material(s) do the oldest existing versions of the story of Gilgamesh exist?
• When did the historical Gilgamesh likely rule?

36:

• What is the etymology of the word “epic”? To what does the term refer?
• What are some of the characteristics of Greek epics? Which of these characteristics does Gilgamesh exhibit?
• In what way, according to the editors, does Gilgamesh differ from the Homeric epic tradition?

37:

• When and how did the Gilgamesh epic disappear?
• When, where, and by whom was the Gilgamesh epic rediscovered?

(Mythology):
120:

“The Birth of Epic Poetry”

• What, according to the text, are some of the major concerns and themes of the Gilgamesh epic?

117:

• Describe the relationship between gods and kings in the Sumerian world and what Gilgamesh does in the epic to perform his part in the relationship.

---

Other Discussion Questions:
(Norton Introduction):
33:

• In what language were the earliest versions of the epic written?

34:

• What is cuneiform?
• Where is Mesopotamia?
• What is a millennium?
• When, where, and by whom was the definitive revision of the epic written?

(Mythology):
83:

• What, according to the introduction, characterized the Mesopotamian gods?
• What, according to the introduction, was the relationship between Mesopotamian kings and the gods?

85:

• Describe the Mesopotamian cosmos.

96:
“The Lady of Heaven”

• Describe Inana/Ishtar/Astarte.

127:

• Describe the relationship of the earthly king and Inana.

---

Chapter One (pge #s refer to pdf):
1:

• What kind of king is Gilgamesh? Explain.

3-4:

• Explain Gilgamesh’s dreams.

4-5:

• Why does Enkidu fight Gilgamesh? Explain.

Chapter Two:
5:

• Why do Enkidu and Gilgamesh decide to fight Humbaba? Explain.

Chapter Three:
12-13:

• Why does Gilgamesh refuse Ishtar’s offer of marriage?

13:

• Why do Enkidu and Gilgamesh kill the Bull of Heaven?

14:

• Why must Enkidu die?

15-16:

• What is the significance of Enkidu’s dream?

16:

• Why does Enkidu believe he will die in shame?

---

Other Discussion Questions:
Chapter One:
3:

• Why do the animals run from Enkidu after he sleeps with Shamhat?

Chapter Two:
7:

• Who is Shamash? Why does Ninsun offer him sacrifices?

9:

• Explain Gilgamesh’s dreams.

11:

• Why does Enkidu tell Gilgamesh to ignore Humbaba’s pleas for mercy?

Chapter Three:
13:

• Who is Ishullanu? How does he respond to Ishtar’s offer of love?

14-15:

• Explain the curses Enkidu pronounces.

15:

• Why does take back his curse of Shamhat?

16:

• Why does Enkidu believe that Aruru has cursed him?

18:

• What is the significance of Gilgamesh’s plan to put on a lion’s skin?

---

** Homework Questions, pt. 2 **
Chapter Four:
18:

• Who is Utnapishtim? Why has Gilgamesh sought him?

18-19:

• Explain Gilgamesh’s interactions with the Man-Scorpion.

20-21:

• Explain Gilgamesh’s interaction with Siduri.

21:

• Why does Gilgamesh attack Urshanabi’s boat?

Chapter Five:
23-26:

• How does Utnapishtim’s story compare to Noah’s?
  (See News Story ):

Chapter Six:
26:

• What is Gilgamesh’s first test? How does he do? Why?
• Why does Utnapishtim banish Urshanabi?
  

27:

• Where does he get the plant that restores youth? What happens to it?

Chapter Seven:
28:

• What is the final “moral” to this story?

---

Additional (More in-depth) Questions (Respond to 5 for credit):

• Does Gilgamesh ultimately find Consolation for his Grief? Explain.
• How would you characterize the relationship of humans to divine beings in The Epic of Gilgamesh? What characteristics are described as “god-like”? What qualities (if any) divide humans from gods and goddesses? Is an intermediate status possible, and what are its limits?
• Describe the relationships among the different gods. Do all the gods have equal power or is there some sort of hierarchy? Explain.
• One of the most intriguing characters in the Epic is the woman who causes Enkidu’s transformation from natural man to civilized man. Describe this woman and suggest what her role might indicate about the process of becoming civilized, or the role of women in early Mesopotamian cultures?
• What clues does the Epic of Gilgamesh present about the political values of early Mesopotamian society? Is Gilgamesh a good king or a bad king? What qualities define good kings? Are those qualities learned as skills or life-lessons, or are they inherited or “natural” qualities?
• Describe the significance of the “raging bull” images and its different uses. To what characters or figures is it usually applied? What does it represent?
• Does Enkidu fulfill his original purpose? Explain.

The course project is designed to synthesize your financial studies into a comprehensive real life case study. Students are to assume they have been recently hired to work for a financial consulting company that is providing advice to investors. The main task is to identify an industry (or market sector) and then research the industry to identify the leading companies in the industry, analyze their finances and provide your own ” analyst’s opinion ” on the prospects for the industry and to identify which companies are best positioned to lead that industry. This is a group or individual project (as determined by your instructor) that will involve significant research and in-depth financial analysis.

The company you select should be a publicly held company and be listed on a U.S. stock exchange. Your approach should include a discussion of the company’s business model, core products or services, growth prospects and key cost items. If the company that is selected is engaged in foreign markets you will need to discuss the potential for growth of those markets and any special risks those markets may pose, and risk management techniques for managing those risks effectively.

The ultimate goal is to decide which company is best positioned to provide the most shareholder value in the future.

The company you select should be a publicly held company and be listed on a U.S. stock exchange. Your approach should include a discussion of the company’s business model, core products or services, growth prospects and key cost items. If the company that is selected is engaged in foreign markets you will need to discuss the potential for growth of those markets and any special risks those markets may pose, and risk management techniques for managing those risks effectively.

The ultimate goal is to decide which company is best positioned to provide the most shareholder value in the future. This would require you to conduct the following analysis:

1) Identify an industry to focus on (It is suggested that you use an industry that is expanding rather than consolidating, but the choice is yours to make). Explain why you chose this industry and its environment.

2) Identify the top companies in the industry using your own selection of criteria (market capitalization, ROE, or any other financial criteria you wish to develop.) Your decisions on which set of criteria to use, are to be considered part of the project and your rationalization must be explained.

3) Compile a ratio analysis of the top competitors in the industry using the company’s financial statements. You should limit the number of companies you are researching to between 3-5.

The ratio analysis should include:

a) a 5 year trend analysis of each company selected and compared to the industry averages and

b) a competitive analysis of the selected major competitors using four main standards: profitability, liquidity, debt and return on equity.

4) Establish growth projections for the top competitors using established methods, including pro forma income statements and balance sheets for the coming year.

5) Analyze the following elements of the major competitors:

[It is expected that you will discuss why you selected the measures used, interpret the data and explain what this information suggests about the company’s financial situation and future financing needs.]

a) Each company’s capital structure

b) Cost of capital, capital structure, CAPM, cash flow, value of common stock and MVA.

6) You are expected to look at a potential takeover target for the company (within the industry or closely related to the industry), evaluate the takeover and the price to be paid for the target using established valuation criteria. It is expected that you will discuss the selection of the criteria used and to comment on its relative value in the analysis.

The primary goal of the assignment is to utilize the concepts and formulas you have learned in your course of study and apply them to full effect in looking at this industry and its environment. It is expected that you will comment on the industry’s environment, as well as the business and financial risks that face the industry and the major competitors in that industry. It will be necessary to discuss the near term economic forecast and include a discussion of any important changes that may take place in terms of the potential growth of the market, impact on the availability and cost of capital and any basic resources the company will need to succeed.

After selecting the main competitors and conducting your analysis you will need to choose one company as the projected future industry leader and project its future stock price in light of your review and analysis.

Your research should include a survey of business periodicals, industry data from scholarly sources, analyst reports, news articles and journals as appropriate. When using financial calculations, you must show your math. How did you do the calculations? Using a financial calculator is fine, Excel is recommended, but I need to know if you understand the data. For example, if you did a ROE calculation on a financial calculator, I need to see more than just the end result, i.e. what data you used to make the calculations.

The discussion portion of the paper should be 8-10 pages in length, double spaced, and employ APA style criteria

You are to write an Example Essay. This kind of essay requires you to select a topic for an essay and write about it by defining it and then providing more information through scenarios and examples. For instance, if you choose to write About muscle cars, you would define cars in general, describe regular cars and muscle cars and give examples of muscle cars. As the ending, you could explain what made muscle cars so special or so memorable.Basically you will will evaluate the topic as to whether It is good or or better compared to other things in the same category.

Remember that you are not to use personal pronouns in this or your other essays. Be sure to choose a topic that fits, such as comfortable shoes, fast cars, romantic movies, etc. The length must be a minimum 650 words. Also, you Must include at least one source which is cited in your essay and listed on your Works Cited page

Choose from one of the following topics:

Select an actor/actress and evaluation his/her performance in several movies.

Legal alcohol laws work as they were designed to do.

Gender specific schools are very successful.

Krispy Kreme donuts are the best.

The I-Phone is better than the Android phone.

Odyssey Online’s: Greece. Read “Gods, Goddesses & Heroes” and “Epics & Actors.” Feel free to read more, but those two sections are required.

Begin by reading though this site that summarizes the epic for you.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1- Myths were told or written to answer what questions? give 3 questions

2 – Give one example of something a myth might explain.

3- Use your own words; do not just copy the website, What were the gods like?

4- Briefly summarize the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus

5- What is the original meaning of the word “theater”?

6- Before theaters were built, how were stories shared?

7- Explain Dionysos’s relationship with theater.

8- List the three forms of ancient drama.

9- Describe the god Dionysos.

What are you going to write about? Well, you have a choice about which story — a real story from your life — you would like to share. You can write about:

• One particular story from your life that portrays a significant moment when you realized something, discovered something, or changed as a person. Ideally, this would represent a moment, less than twenty-four **essay about skiing in Aspen, Colorado. From not being able to snowboard, to by the end of the day mastering it** Outline for this essay is attached.

1. Has a sense of time and place (setting)
2. Has relatable, identifiable characters
3. Focuses on actions (events) and shows
   1. a crisis or crises, a climax (turning point), and a resolution
4. Is highly descriptive in nature
5. Includes dialogue
6. Is clearly organized and easy to follow
7. May be narrated in either first or third person perspective
8. Has importance and significance, and connects to the reader

For this particular assignment, you do not need a Works Cited page since you are telling your own story. Some particulars for this assignment:

1. It should be formatted in MLA style
2. Length: 5-7+ pages