Best Epic of Gilgamesh edition? study guide?

[mominbc]

My ds16 wants to read the Epic of Gilgamesh and I have read that some editions have explicit sexuality in them. What edition would you recommend and is there a study guide that would be great to go with it?

Thanks in advance:001_smile:

[Orthodox6]

I'll be interested in answers, too. I read a couple of versions (don't remember which they were), and recognized that I would not be teaching the book for that reason. (No need to, as there are other epics available for study.)

[Kareni]

Here are a couple of older threads with some helpful information:

Which translations should I get? (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100286&highlight=gilgamesh)

and

How does Omnibus handle Gilgamesh? (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100194&highlight=gilgamesh)

Regards,
Kareni

[Angel]

My dd is using MFW AH&L next year. They have scheduled "The Epic of Gilgamesh" condensed version by Robert W. Watson. I have not ordered it yet (I'm getting my copy from RR) but I would be surprised if MFW had the teens reading a version that had anything explicit in it.

[Lori D.]

We enjoyed the retelling (not a translation) by Jennifer Westwood: The Epic of Gilgamesh and Other Babylonian Tales. It completely skips the section in which the temple prostitute "teaches Endiku the ways of love." It has 4-6 Babylonian myths as well -- one was the Babylonian Flood myth, which the boys then did a compare/contrast paper with the Biblical Flood. We used the SMARR guide, but were very disappointed in it; we would have gotten a lot more out of the free, online guide at Sparknotes. BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmly, Lori D.

[Maryalice]

I found a version online and took out the offensive parts. It was basically Tablet 2 and Enkidu's becoming "socialized". I used free online guide (sparknotes) to fill in my own understanding before discussions. Keep in mind that Sparknotes is sometimes anti-Christian.

Here is where I started:
http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/

I have my edited text in Word. If anyone wants it, PM me because I don't think that I can post a document.

[mominbc]

I found a version online and took out the offensive parts. It was basically Tablet 2 and Enkidu's becoming "socialized". I used free online guide (sparknotes) to fill in my own understanding before discussions. Keep in mind that Sparknotes is sometimes anti-Christian.

Here is where I started:
http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/

I have my edited text in Word. If anyone wants it, PM me because I don't think that I can post a document.

I would love your edited version but I don't have word on my computer
:sad:

I looked into the mfw version but I can't find it anywhere else but the mfw website so far.

[Katia]

Ok, the version from MFW by Robert Watson....that is SMARR. He owns, operates and publishes the SMARR materials and that is his version. :001_smile:

[Angel]

I looked into the mfw version but I can't find it anywhere else but the mfw website so far.

If you are talking about the actual book. I found it at Rainbow Resource. The study guide is built into their program, I don't know if it's taken from a separate source.

[mominbc]

Ok, the version from MFW by Robert Watson....that is SMARR. He owns, operates and publishes the SMARR materials and that is his version. :001_smile:

Thanks. I see he has a study guide as well. Have you used his stuff? Is it good?

[Lori D.]

Thanks. I see he has a study guide as well. Have you used his stuff? Is it good?


The only study guide by SMARR we've used was Watson's guide for Epic of Gilgamesh. We found it to be very disappointing. It was $8 at Rainbow Resource for 7 sheets of paper folded into a booklet of 28 pages -- and 10 of those 28 pages were front/back covers, publishing info, or blank. Content was divided into 4 parts or lessons, each with:
- a handful of vocabulary words
- a handful of comprehension questions
- and less than a dozen "critical thinking" or discussion questions in the entire guide
- a lose, extra page of vocabulary quiz material
- answers

There was virtually no background info on the work, author, or the time/culture in which the work was written, and only a sentence on a few literary elements. Perhaps this individually sold guide is only an abridgement from the entire SMARR program, and so is not representative of the program as a whole? Katia on this board has used the SMARR program and liked it very much, so you might be able to glean more from her experiences.


While it is secular, the free online Sparknotes guide (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gilgamesh/) is much meatier, and you can edit out references to any -- *ahem* -- mature subject matter. BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[OhElizabeth]

I got the Westwood version based on Lori D's recommendation, and I have to say I agree with her. I'm reading both the Ferry version and Westwood this afternoon, and Westwood is both more readable and more decent. Ferry made me blush, so I'd have to do some SERIOUS redacting or paperclipping to make that work, mercy. And while I could (and even would if necessary), I just don't think it's that much better than Westwood's version. I was sort of biased against Westwood, as hers is formatted as prose, where Ferry's is a sort of poetry. But really, the Westwood version is more engaging, draws you in, and clearer. The Ferry version communicates a little more beauty with the form, but it's not as good a read.

Was there another version recommended by VP? I'll have to go see. Anyways, I just wanted to 2nd that Westwood is a TERRIFICALLY good option, clean, pleasant to read, and worth the time and $$ to track down. I forget what I paid for my copy, but it is like new, hardbound, and surely was under $20. It was off the amazon marketplace. Try there and www.bookfinder.com and www.alibris.com and I'll bet you can find an affordable copy. Definitely recommend the Westwood. And the objectionable stuff was before tablet 2 in Ferry. See if you just skip those pages (which I would in my house, made even me uncomfortable), you lose the flow of everything else that happened. This way, with the way Westwood redacts, you get retain everything else that was just fine. She even manages to couch the taking of brides by Gilgamesh a little more politely. I think it might be weird to have students read Gilgamesh and go around talking about it, not REALIZING the objectionable elements were in there, but there were so explicit, I'd really question letting them read them. Yup, side by side, it's Westwood over Ferry.

[Lori D.]

Oh Elizabeth: So glad you liked the Westwood version! :) I always feel a little guilty recommending out-of-print items, because it can be a little bit of an effort to track down -- so I'm glad that extra effort was worth it for you! And I'm normally all for straight up translations, but, like you, I found the Westwood prose retelling so readable, I just didn't feel the need to look further. Cheers! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[mominbc]

Thanks Elizabeth for the confirmation. I will look into getting this version.

:001_smile:

[Lori D.]

Here are a few options for either swap or straight up purchase:

Paperback Swap:
http://secure.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9780370011097-Gilgamesh+and+Other+Babylonian+Tales+Heroic+retell ings+from+history+and+legend


Abe Books:
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=jennifer+westwood&sts=t&tn=gilgamesh+and+Other+Babylonian+Tales&x=42&y=12

Amazon used books:
http://www.amazon.com/GIlgamesh-Other-Babylonian-Jennifer-Westwood/dp/B00117UPXI/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_6

[Katia]

Thanks. I see he has a study guide as well. Have you used his stuff? Is it good?

I've only used his complete programs, not just one guide by itself, so I can't really comment on that aspect of SMARR, sorry.

For the most part, both dd and I like SMARR. I like that it has the books I want her to read all scheduled out and it gets done. I like the writing assignments, writing instruction and writing rubrics and self-checks.

Neither dd nor I come from the same viewpoint as Mr. Watson and we both really like that, because it gives us good discussion material, lol! :D

As for the Gilgamesh guide...I don't think the one I have in the complete set is the same one Lori D. described that she purchased separately.

Mine covers the story in four lessons. That translates into four days (one lesson per day). In those four lessons, along with reading the story itself, there is a full page Introduction to the work, 12 Critical Thinking questions (good for discussion and for writing topics), 19 vocabulary words with vocabulary exercises and a quiz at the end, and 81 recall questions. Oh, and they talk about oxymorons and have you find examples in the book. And then there are 5 suggested writing topics for an argumentative paper.

I can't imagine they would have a different guide in the complete set than that which they sell separately....but it sure sounds that way. I don't think you'd want to pay for the complete set to get one guide, kwim?

[OhElizabeth]

I'm trying to think through whether there were oxymorons in the Westwood version (or Ferry for that matter) and I just missed them, or whether that's version-dependent. Got any examples I can look for?