The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Window Into the World of Ancient Mesopotamia
Ashour Daniel
Research Paper: The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Window into the World of Ancient Mesopotamia
Course: World Mythologies
Instructor: Clare Pearson
My name is Ashour Daniel and I have been a part of Oakton’s Honors Program since the Fall 2022 semester. My journey at Oakton began after I had graduated from Niles West High School in the spring of 2021, and subsequently enrolled at Oakton for the Fall 2021 semester. I plan to graduate from Oakton in the Spring of 2023 as an Honors Scholar Designee, which will allow me to not only boost my transfer resumé, but to represent the excellent work that my professors and I have accomplished during my time at Oakton. After I obtain my Associates of Arts degree, I plan to transfer to one of the outstanding four-year institutions right here in the Chicagoland area.
For my honors project with Professor Clare Pearson in HUM210 World Mythologies, I wrote an essay that explores how the ancient Sumerian myth of Gilgamesh and Enkidu gives the reader a peek into what the ancient world of Sumer might have looked like. Specifically, I explore how the epic retells the story of how Sumer transitioned from several groups of early hunter-gatherers to the massive river valley civilization whose achievements still impress historians to this day. After reading the retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh by Stephen Mitchell, as well as several scholarly articles provided by Professor Pearson, I came to realize the historical value of the epic and mythology in general as a way in which we can uncover the forgotten stories of ancient civilizations from around the world.
