WARMUP 091712 All people have strengths and weaknesses

WARM-UP 09/17/12 � All people have strengths and weaknesses. What are some of your strengths? What are some of your weaknesses? Explain them. � How do your strengths help you? � How do your weaknesses hinder you? � If you could change one of your weakness, which one would it be? Why? Homework: Hero Journey rough draft due Wednesday.

Historical Background and The Epic FROM THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST � Highly developed civilizations flourished � 3000 BC – 100 AD � Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Hebrew civilizations � Mesopotamians – clay tablets � Egyptians – hieroglyphic script � Hebrews – The Hebrew Bible

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL MILESTONES The Invention of Writing � 4000 -3000 BC � Cuneiform: � Sumerians � Word pictures � Sticks � became complete writing system � Gilgamesh

CONT. � Hieroglyphics � Egyptians � Pictures represent ideas � Wood or stone � Evolved to represent syllables and sounds

MESOPOTAMIAN LITERATURE � Fertile Crescent � � housed many civilizations Sumerians � � 5000 -4000 BC Built entire civilization with mud � � � Homes, pottery, clay tablets, canals City-states Many artistic and scientific achievements Cuneiform Gilgamesh

MESOPOTAMIAN LIT (CONT. ) � Babylonians � � � Conquered Sumerians Adapted cuneiform Translated their literature � � Gilgamesh Code of Hammurabi 282 laws � Stable legal system � � Assyrians � � 900 BC Magnificent library � � Sumerian and Babylonian literature Babylon regained power. � 612 BC; last great Mesopotamian empire

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE � Most powerful � � 3000 years Gift of the Nile � � Thriving trade Predictable Safe Papyrus reeds 3 Time Periods � Old Kingdom � � � 2700 -2200 BC Pyramids constructed Prayer and autobiography

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE (CONT. ) � Middle Kingdom 2000 -1800 BC � Economic & political power � Hymns and songs � � New Kingdom 1600 -1100 BC � Peak of political power � Lyric love poems � PYRAMID OF POWER

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE (CONT. ) � Hierogylphs � � Highly religious � � Script in which pictures represent ideas. In everything they wrote Fascinated with death � The Book of the Dead http: //www. getty. edu/art/ gettyguide/video. Detail s? segid=4387

HEBREW LITERATURE � Abraham and Sarah � Left Babylon � Became “the Hebrew people” Wanderers � Rich cultural life � Monotheism � � � People Hebrew Bible � Old Testament � Their river � great “monument” Record of their spiritual, literary, and historical experiences � Diverse literature: psalms, hymns, historical narratives, proverbs from across the Entered Egypt Saved from starvation � Later enslaved � � � Ten Commandments � � Mosaic Law Entered Canaan Temple of Jerusalem � Destroyed twice � Exile (united by Yahweh) �

DEAD SEA SCROLLS Found in cave near Dead Sea (1947) � Dated back to 200 BC � Written in Hebrew � Papyrus, animal skin � Most of the Hebrew Bible; oldest written fragments of the Bible ever written �

GILGAMESH � Sumerian story � Quest for eternal life � Oldest epic � Actual historical figure (2700 -2500 BC) � Clay tablets; passed on and translated � Epic: lengthy narrative poem, detailing a hero’s deeds related to a culture or nation

EPIC HERO � Leader of his people � Traits reflect his society’s values � Superior strength, knowledge, cunning, courage � Often takes long, dangerous journey or quest to supernatural realms to achieve a particular goal � Possess human weaknesses; they can die

GILGAMESH � Fill out your study guide using the text. � Complete questions 1 - 10 on page 36: “Reading Check” and “Thinking Critically. ”