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dc.date.accessioned2017-12-28T08:58:58Z-
dc.date.available2017-12-28T08:58:58Z-
dc.date.issued1965-
dc.identifier.citationSerracino-Inglott, P. (1965). The structure of the Gilgamesh epic. Melita Theologica, 17(1), 1-18.en_GB
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/25091-
dc.description.abstractN.K.SANDARS, in the Introduction to his English translation of the Gilgamesh Epic (Penguin Books, 1960, reprinted 1962), describes it as 'the finest surviving poem from any period until the appearance of Homer's Iliad' (p.8). And there will be general agreement with this judgement. Yet there have been surprisingly few attempts made to provide an analysis of its structure that sounds satisfactory. I suspect that this may be due on the one hand to the caution of scholars which keeps them from adventuring on ground where hypotheses have to be advanced on not completely solid evidence; and on the other to the haste with which writers who are not specialists in Semitic literature but want to use the material of the poem relevant to their own interests (e.g. depth psychology) accept or advance interpretations which cannot survive any close examination of the text. Hence, I think, the Epic has not been generally appreciated for its own sake, but has tended too often to be discussed either because of incidental features, such as the family-resemblance between its Deluge story and that in Genesis, or because of certain themes taken in isolation from their precise place in the structure of the poem. Sandars's Introduction not only avoids this, but also provides the right kind of background information and sensible comment which the reader requires in order to appreciate the poem. But even he considers that from a structural point of view, it is merely 'divided into loosely connected episodes covering the most important events in the life of the hero' (op. cit. p.30). In his account of the story, he does bring out the central features of the episodes and provides a generally illuminating commentary on them. However, I think the poem has a much greater unity of structure, corresponding to a greater coherence of conception, (despite its being a compilation) than would appear even from Sandars's most useful introduction.en_GB
dc.language.isoenen_GB
dc.publisherThe Royal University Students' Theological Associationen_GB
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessen_GB
dc.subjectEpic literature -- History and criticismen_GB
dc.subjectLiterature -- Translationsen_GB
dc.subjectSemitic literatureen_GB
dc.titleThe structure of the Gilgamesh Epicen_GB
dc.typearticleen_GB
dc.rights.holderThe copyright of this work belongs to the author(s)/publisher. The rights of this work are as defined by the appropriate Copyright Legislation or as modified by any successive legislation. Users may access this work and can make use of the information contained in accordance with the Copyright Legislation provided that the author must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the prior permission of the copyright holder.en_GB
dc.description.reviewedN/Aen_GB
dc.publication.titleMelita Theologicaen_GB
dc.contributor.creatorSerracino-Inglott, Peter-
Appears in Collections:MT - Volume 17, Issue 1 - 1965
MT - Volume 17, Issue 1 - 1965

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