Listen&Learn: The Epic of Gilgamesh

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

Learn about the oldest written story

Pre-listening vocabulary

narrative poem: a long story written in verse
compose: to create something
tablet: a piece of clay or stone that is used to write on
contribute: to help accomplish something
eternal: lasting forever
mortality: the idea that all living things will eventually die

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

Comprehension questions

See answers below

The complete poem was first written in
a. Akkadian
b. Sumerian
c. Greek
The poem was written by
a. Homer
b. Gilgamesh himself
c. an unknown author, possibly multiple
In the story, Gilgamesh is primarily searching for
a. true love
b. wealth
c. eternal life

Discussion/essay questions

The Epic of Gilgamesh deals with the theme of mortality. This has continued to be a common theme in literature throughout history. Why do you think death is such an important focus of stories?

Transcript

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient narrative poem. It is the oldest written narrative that has ever been found. Some of the individual stories that make up the poem were composed as early as 2100 B.C.E. The complete poem was later written on clay tablets in Akkadian, a language of ancient Mesopotamia. There is no known author. Many people likely contributed to the story over many years. The poem follows the long journey of a king who searches for the secret to eternal life. The Epic of Gilgamesh has influenced literary works in many different cultures. In fact, stories from The Epic of Gilgamesh can also be found in literature from later in history, such as Homer’s epics and the Bible.

Answers to comprehension questions

1a 2c 3c

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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11 comments

English Club Indonesia says:

Death is full of questions. From ancient times until now, people haven’t figured out what is likely to happen after someone dies. This leaves us with unanswered inquiries, which are good topics to bring to the table.
Nehal K says:

It improves listening ,concentration and understanding.
Fantastic practice of grammar
SUBHASH UTEKAR says:

In summary, The epic of Gilgamesh offers a valuable historical rich, characters Philosophical and cultural insights that continue to captivate readers alike.Its historical significance and enduring influence on literature make it a cornerstone of world literature and an essential text for understanding the human condition across generations.
abdolmonem says:

the site is good
Fatima says:

I’m glad to have this site so I can improve my english anf for
free
Youness D somoene says:

i think that’s death has been used on stories because of the mystery behind death no one knows what is the secret of death and when he comes to you or where no one so for that authors on all times used to=alk about this subject.
Lucky says:

Death is the end of life, when you finish seeing and feeling.
It’s also a turning point because you can’t go back to life, so it’s the end of everything for you.

Some people believe in reincarnation or in heaven, but that’s kind of a dream, at least there’s no evidence of such things, so people don’t take the risk and they seize the day while they’re alive.
OSCAR GOMEZ LAGO says:

I always contribute something. Thank a lot.
Manel says:

I think death is a primarily topic in literature or in arts in general because it is a main topic in life.
Mano says:

I think it has good system and it can help to improve our english language.
Wagner Silva says:

I think I’m improving my listening skill little by little.