Suitable for those who have completed the first course on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue your journey back to third millennium BCE to discover the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
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In this second part, we will continue reading and discussing the Epic of Gilgamesh (in translation). We will read and discuss the death of Enkidu, and Gilgamesh’s journey to Uta-napishti, to discover the secret to everlasting life, as well as continuing to discuss the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia which surround the Epic.
What will we cover?
We will discuss both Enkidu’s curse, and his subsequent death, and how the Epic of Gilgamesh deals with the concept of grief, and those left behind by loss. We will discover Gilgamesh’s encounters with the scorpion people, alongside Uta-Napishti, in his quest to conquer death, as well as an early example of the ancient flood narrative. We will continue to explore the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Epic, alongside discussing the Epic’s surviving legacy.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
confidently discuss the narrative labelled the Epic of Gilgamesh, including its evolution;
discuss its relation to the wider tradition of Ancient Near Eastern literature;
identify the structure and path of the Epic;
confidently read and analyse episodes within the Epic;
identify layers of mythology, ideology and culture in the narrative.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No previous knowledge or exposure is required/expected. This course will be useful for complete beginners as well as students of the ancient world.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
There will be no work outside class, although further reading will be suggested for those who wish to investigate further. Teaching will be a combination of lecture and seminar discussion. The aim is for maximum student engagement with the Epic.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No. Just bring a pen, some paper (or a tablet), and yourself.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-epic-of-gilgamesh-part-23021187The Epic of Gilgamesh - part 2https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/ancient-civiliations-city-lit.jpg6969GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Ancient civilisations/Courses/Online courses228511771191119217311228511771191<p>Suitable for those who have completed the first course on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue your journey back to third millennium BCE to discover the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.</p>003021181The Epic of Gilgamesh - part 26969https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/ancient-civiliations-city-lit.jpgInStockEveningMonOnlineAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekday2026-03-09T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersMar 2026Culture, history & humanitiesRT1056969The Epic of Gilgamesh - part 2694569Yentl Lovethe-epic-of-gilgamesh-part-2/rt105-2526<p>Suitable for those who have completed the first course on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue your journey back to third millennium BCE to discover the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.</p>0010-StartedAvailable|2026-03-09 00:00:00<p>In this second part, we will continue reading and discussing the Epic of Gilgamesh (in translation). We will read and discuss the death of Enkidu, and Gilgamesh’s journey to Uta-napishti, to discover the secret to everlasting life, as well as continuing to discuss the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia which surround the Epic.</p><p>Suitable for those who have completed the first course on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue your journey back to third millennium BCE to discover the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.</p><p>We will discuss both Enkidu’s curse, and his subsequent death, and how the Epic of Gilgamesh deals with the concept of grief, and those left behind by loss. We will discover Gilgamesh’s encounters with the scorpion people, alongside Uta-Napishti, in his quest to conquer death, as well as an early example of the ancient flood narrative. We will continue to explore the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Epic, alongside discussing the Epic’s surviving legacy.</p><ul><li>confidently discuss the narrative labelled the Epic of Gilgamesh, including its evolution;</li><li>discuss its relation to the wider tradition of Ancient Near Eastern literature;</li><li>identify the structure and path of the Epic;</li><li>confidently read and analyse episodes within the Epic;</li><li>identify layers of mythology, ideology and culture in the narrative.</li></ul><p>No previous knowledge or exposure is required/expected. This course will be useful for complete beginners as well as students of the ancient world.</p><p>There will be no work outside class, although further reading will be suggested for those who wish to investigate further. Teaching will be a combination of lecture and seminar discussion. The aim is for maximum student engagement with the Epic.</p><p>No. Just bring a pen, some paper (or a tablet), and yourself.</p><p>Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.</p>Ancient civilisationsAncient civilisationsvirtual696945RT105NONEMon09/03/26 - 30/03/2619:00 - 20:3019:0020:304 sessions (over 4 weeks)41 to 4 weeksEveningWeekdayOnlineOnlineYentl LoveBeginnersAvailable courses2026-03-09T00:00:00+00:00Mar 2026Culture, history & humanities6969The Epic of Gilgamesh - part 2the-epic-of-gilgamesh-part-2/rt105-2526<p>Suitable for those who have completed the first course on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue your journey back to third millennium BCE to discover the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.</p>0010-StartedAvailable|2026-03-09 00:00:00<p>In this second part, we will continue reading and discussing the Epic of Gilgamesh (in translation). We will read and discuss the death of Enkidu, and Gilgamesh’s journey to Uta-napishti, to discover the secret to everlasting life, as well as continuing to discuss the cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia which surround the Epic.</p><p>Suitable for those who have completed the first course on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Continue your journey back to third millennium BCE to discover the world’s oldest surviving work of literature, the story of the king Gilgamesh and his epic quest to conquer gods, monsters, and even death itself.</p><p>We will discuss both Enkidu’s curse, and his subsequent death, and how the Epic of Gilgamesh deals with the concept of grief, and those left behind by loss. We will discover Gilgamesh’s encounters with the scorpion people, alongside Uta-Napishti, in his quest to conquer death, as well as an early example of the ancient flood narrative. We will continue to explore the historical and cultural backgrounds of the Epic, alongside discussing the Epic’s surviving legacy.</p><ul><li>confidently discuss the narrative labelled the Epic of Gilgamesh, including its evolution;</li><li>discuss its relation to the wider tradition of Ancient Near Eastern literature;</li><li>identify the structure and path of the Epic;</li><li>confidently read and analyse episodes within the Epic;</li><li>identify layers of mythology, ideology and culture in the narrative.</li></ul><p>No previous knowledge or exposure is required/expected. This course will be useful for complete beginners as well as students of the ancient world.</p><p>There will be no work outside class, although further reading will be suggested for those who wish to investigate further. Teaching will be a combination of lecture and seminar discussion. The aim is for maximum student engagement with the Epic.</p><p>No. Just bring a pen, some paper (or a tablet), and yourself.</p><p>Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.</p>Ancient civilisationsAncient civilisationsconfigurable
11921191Ancient civilisationshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/ancient-civilisations/ancient-civilisations-11/2/285/1177/1191/11921/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Ancient civilisations
