Questions+for+Weekly+Friday+Discussion

=For January 29th...=

Some questions to think about for the Epic Of Gilgamesh...
1 How is a king supposed to behave? What is appropriate and inappropriate? 2. Are there checks on his power in the city? What are they and how significant are they? 3. On the basis of the presentation of Gilgamesh, how would you define a hero in Sumerian culture? Is Gilgamesh excessive in his behavior, or is he only acting as would be expected of a hero (and a king)? 4. How important is reputation? 5. Why is it important for Gilgamesh and Enkidu to kill Humbaba? 6. What function do women play in the story? 7. How are the gods viewed? What is their function? How directly do they intervene in human affairs? 8. Is the world depicted a safe and harmonious place, or precarious and uncertain? What are the problems one could face? What views about nature emerge from the story? 9. How would you define the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu? What is important about friendship to them? 10. Why does the flood happen? Why is Utnapishtim singled out to be saved? 11. How is death regarded?

Some questions to think about for the Code of Hammurabi
===1. What is the position of women in the laws? -What indication is there that some Babylonian women engaged in business? - Clearly men had more rights than women in this society; but what laws can you identify that seem aimed at protecting certain rights of women? === ===2. Which laws deviate from the egalitarian standard of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?" Why is this deviation significant? === ===3. What evidence about Babylonian society does the Code provide? (Think about political, social and economic structures as well as values, beliefs, and way of life.) === ===4. Would you consider this Code “fair” by modern standards? Why or why not? === = =

=For February 12th=

Read the excerpt attachments on Homer's The ILIAD. Answer questions #2 and #3 and post your answer on the discussion page. ALSO reply to one post from a fellow classmate.