*Stage Directors 1, 2, and 3 (SD1, SD2, SD3)
Storyteller
Foreman
Citizens 1 and 2
*Gilgamesh, king of Uruk
Elders 1 and 2
Characters
Choose the character you will play.
*Characters with a large speaking part
Juan Carlos Ribas
The Doomed Quest
A famous king wants to live forever . . . and it might just kill him.
By Spencer Kayden | Based on The Epic of Gilgamesh
From the September 2024 Issue
Learning Objective: to determine themes of a text and analyze their development
Complexity Factors
Lexile (captions only): 940L
Featured Skill:
Theme,
Other Key Skills: character, inference, text structure, tone, critical thinking
Common Core Standards
TEKS Standards
Prologue
The City of Uruk
SD1: Workers build a massive stone wall across the front of the stage. A storyteller addresses the audience.
Storyteller: This is the story of a king named Gilgamesh.
SD2: A foreman shouts at the workers.
Foreman: Higher! The king wants the wall higher!
Citizen 1: Please, we need water and rest.
Citizen 2: We haven’t seen our families in weeks.
Storyteller: It is an ancient story—one of the very oldest.
Foreman: There will be no rest until the king is satisfied. (muttering) And he is rarely satisfied.
Storyteller: Gilgamesh had never had a friend. But then he met Enkidu. Together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu performed many heroic deeds and transformed the city of Uruk.
SD3: The wall separates to reveal a magnificent city with lush gardens, ornate temples, and a bustling marketplace.
Storyteller: For a time, all was well. But then, Enkidu fell ill. And nothing would ever be the same.
Scene 1
The Palace
SD1: Gilgamesh sits on a golden throne covered with bright blue stones. His chest is as broad and solid as a tree trunk.
SD2: Two elders kneel at his feet.
Gilgamesh: How is Enkidu today?
Elder 1: We have tried every remedy.
Elder 2: His illness is a mystery.
Gilgamesh: Enkidu is like a brother to me. Heal him!
SD3: The elders scurry off past a line of citizens waiting to see the king.
SD1: A teenage girl and a younger boy nervously approach the king and kneel.
Anisa: I am Anisa. This is my brother, Amar.
Gilgamesh: Why have you come?
Anisa: Our father went on a hunt when the moon was full. Now the moon is a crescent, and he has not returned.
Amar: We are running out of food.
Gilgamesh: Where is your mother?
Anisa: After a long sickness, she was taken by the gods.
Gilgamesh: And now you are alone?
Amar: Our neighbors have been kind, but they don’t have much to share.
SD2: The king holds out a handful of silver coins.
Gilgamesh: Take these.
Anisa: Thank you, benevolent king!
SD3: A servant rushes in.
Servant: Sire, Enkidu is calling for you.
SD1: Gilgamesh hurries to Enkidu’s chamber.
SD2: Enkidu reclines on a pile of pillows, his cheeks hollow and his eyes sunken.
Enkidu: I fear this is the end of me.
Gilgamesh: No, Enkidu, no!
Enkidu: The gods call me home.
SD3: Enkidu takes one last breath and dies.
SD1: The king collapses over his friend’s body.
Scene 2
The Forest
SD2: Gilgamesh storms through a dense forest, swinging his ax at everything in sight—trees, bushes, rocks.
Gilgamesh: Aaaaah!
SD3: Two elders approach cautiously. The king stops.
Gilgamesh (out of breath) : I have tried silence and contemplation. I have tried howling with rage. Nothing eases my sorrow.
Elder 1: I promise you that in time, the pain of Enkidu’s death will ease.
Gilgamesh: Everywhere I turn, I see death. How can I go on living knowing that at any moment, I too could die?
Elder 2: Death is something we all must accept.
Gilgamesh: I do not want to accept death. I want to overcome it.
Elder 1: That is not possible.
Gilgamesh: No? There is a man called the Distant One who became immortal. I will find him and ask him to share his secret.
Elder 2: My king, the Distant One lives on the Farthest Shore, beyond the edge of the ocean.
Elder 1: No human has ever traveled there.
Gilgamesh: Then I will be the first.
Elder 2: But do you not have a responsibility here in Uruk—to your people?
Gilgamesh: Nothing matters more to me now than becoming immortal.
Illustration by Juan Carlos Ribas; Jim McMahon/Mapman® (map)
The World of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest known stories in human history. It was written around 1400 b.c. and takes place in the city of Uruk in ancient Sumer (present-day Iraq). At one time, Uruk was the largest city in the world, and the character of Gilgamesh is likely based on one of Uruk’s actual kings.
Scene 3
The Great Mountains
SD1: Gilgamesh stands at the base of the Great Mountains. His eyes travel up and up and up.
Gilgamesh: The peaks of these mountains touch the sky. No human could climb them.
SD2: Gilgamesh notices a dark tunnel cut through the mountains. Just as he begins to walk toward it, two monstrous scorpions scuttle out of the entrance.
SD3: Each is 10 feet tall with eight spindly legs, a pair of jagged pincers, and a curved tail full of deadly venom.
Scorpion 1: Who dares come here?
Gilgamesh: I am Gilgamesh, king of Uruk. I am on a quest to find the Distant One.
Scorpion 2: Your quest is futile, king of Uruk. The dangers are too great.
Gilgamesh: It matters not. I must continue.
Scorpion 1: Even so, you cannot pass through the tunnel.
Gilgamesh: Why not?
Scorpion 2: At the end of each day, the sun passes through this tunnel. Anything inside gets burned to a crisp.
Gilgamesh: So I will be sure to exit before the end of the day. I’ll run.
Scorpion 1: The tunnel is hundreds of miles long. You will have only 12 hours to make it to the other side.
Gilgamesh: Nothing you say can stop me.
SD1: The scorpions watch as Gilgamesh steps into the darkness.
Scorpion 2: Foolish man.
Scorpion 1: He will never make it.
SD2: Inside the pitch-black tunnel, the only sounds are the king’s footfalls and ragged breath.
SD3: Hours pass. Gilgamesh presses on, sweat pouring down his face.
SD1: The darkness begins to lift.
Gilgamesh (panting): The sun is coming!
SD2: He runs faster, his muscles straining.
SD3: The king stumbles out of the tunnel and collapses just as the sun shoots in.
Gilgamesh: Thank you, gods, for giving me such strength.
SD1: Gilgamesh hears a familiar voice.
Enkidu: My brother.
Gilgamesh: Enkidu? Is this your spirit?
Enkidu: Yes. My friend, why are you on this quest?
Gilgamesh: Because I never understood how short life is. We are given so few years.
Enkidu: Perhaps years are not the correct measure of a life.
Gilgamesh: I do not understand.
Enkidu: Gilgamesh, you are a king. Go home. Take pride in your city. Dance to the lively music that plays at your command. Savor the sweet taste of honey. Enjoy your life.
Gilgamesh: I enjoy nothing since you died.
Scene 4
The Edge of the Ocean
SD2: Gilgamesh approaches a boatman at the edge of the ocean.
Boatman: What business do you have here?
Gilgamesh: I seek immortality.
Boatman: Only the gods can grant that.
Gilgamesh: The Distant One will tell me how to become worthy.
Boatman: There is nothing to tell. You are either worthy or you are not.
Gilgamesh: Just row me across the waters.
Boatman: I cannot. Taking you to the Farthest Shore means crossing the Waters of Death. If even one drop of that water touches your skin, you will die instantly.
SD3: The king thinks for a moment.
Gilgamesh: I have an idea.
SD1: Gilgamesh goes off to the forest with his ax.
SD2: The sound of chopping trees echoes to the shore.
SD3: Gilgamesh returns with an enormous stack of poles, each 100 feet long, and places them in the boat.
Gilgamesh: I am ready.
SD1: The two men begin to make their way across the water. After a while, a thick fog rolls in.
Boatman: We are approaching the Waters of Death. Remember, do not touch the water.
Gilgamesh: Hand me the first pole.
Boatman: Do not make even the slightest splash.
SD2: Gilgamesh carefully lowers the pole into the water.
SD3: He lodges the pole into the seafloor and uses it to propel the boat forward. Then he lets go.
Gilgamesh: Hand me the next pole.
SD1: They do this over and over until they reach the Farthest Shore.
Gilgamesh: Thank you, gods, for giving me such resourcefulness.
Juan Carlos Ribas
The Waters of Death
The myth of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest known stories about the search for immortality. Does the story present the idea of living forever in a positive or negative way?
Scene 5
The Farthest Shore
SD2: The boat glides up to the Farthest Shore. The Distant One is reclining under a tree.
SD3: His hands are gnarled. His white beard trails past his knees.
Distant One: What stranger is this?
Boatman: This is King Gilgamesh. He is on a quest to conquer death.
Distant One: Death comes for all. This is what it means to be human.
Gilgamesh: What would it take for the gods to grant me immortality?
Distant One: The gods gave you a throne. Is that not enough?
Gilgamesh: What good is a throne if I am to die? I want a life like yours.
Distant One: My life is relentless. Everyone I care about eventually dies, and yet I remain.
SD1: Coldness settles in the Distant One’s eyes.
Distant One: You have abandoned your kingdom for this foolish quest?
Gilgamesh: Yes, and what of it? Surely my people can manage without me.
Scene 6
The City of Uruk
SD2: Amar and Anisa wander the city looking for food.
SD3: Evidence of a recent battle can be seen everywhere.
SD1: Buildings have crumbled and small fires smolder.
Amar: Father is not coming back, is he?
Anisa: No, little brother. Any hope I had has faded.
SD2: Amar points to a statue that has been knocked over.
Amar: Will we end up broken like that?
SD3: Just then, Anisa and Amar hear shouting.
SD1: They see a crowd of citizens shouting for the elders’ attention.
Citizen 1: Without our king, the attacks on Uruk will continue.
Citizen 2: The neighboring kingdoms know we are vulnerable. We cannot fight them off forever!
Elder 1: We are asking the gods for the king’s return.
Citizen 1: The gods have abandoned us—just like our king!
Scene 7
The Farthest Shore
Gilgamesh: I will not leave until you tell me how to overcome death.
Distant One (sighing): Here is what I can offer you . . .
SD2: The Distant One plunges his staff into the sand.
SD3: A pit appears, filled with water. The Distant One reaches into the water and pulls out a small, spiny plant.
Gilgamesh: What is this?
Distant One: A plant of rejuvenation. If you eat it, it will restore your youth.
Gilgamesh: You have my deepest gratitude.
Distant One: I hope you find peace, King Gilgamesh.
Scene 8
The Streamside
The Trustees of the British Museum/Art Resource, NY
The Sumerian written language is considered the first to ever exist. This nearly 3,500-year-old clay tablet contains part of The Epic of Gilgamesh.
SD1: As Gilgamesh makes his way home, he comes upon a sparkling stream.
Gilgamesh: Ah, wonderful. I need a cool drink.
SD2: Gilgamesh sets the plant he received from the Distant One on the ground and scoops water into his mouth.
SD3: When he looks up, he sees a snake slithering away with the plant in its mouth.
Gilgamesh: No! Stop!
SD1: Gilgamesh lunges for the snake as it slides under the dead leaves of the forest floor and disappears.
Gilgamesh: No! No! NO!
SD2: Gilgamesh claws frantically at the leaves.
SD3: The spirit of Enkidu appears.
Enkidu: My dear friend, why are you upset?
Gilgamesh: My last hope . . . it was stolen from me.
Enkidu: You cannot escape death, nor can you stay young forever.
Gilgamesh: I must attain eternal life. That is the only answer!
Enkidu: You can crumble under the weight of your disappointment—or you can release yourself from wanting something you can never have. Which will you choose?
Scene 9
The City of Uruk
SD1: It is a cold morning in Uruk. Frantic citizens dash wildly about.
SD2: No one recognizes the bedraggled man walking slowly through the streets. He appears strangely calm amid the chaos.
Gilgamesh (looking up): How beautiful this temple is, gleaming in the morning sun. I remember well the day I built it, how the children tossed flowers on the steps and the sound of singing echoed through the city.
SD3: He continues on, pausing to admire the gardens, the homes, the marketplace. It is as though he is seeing Uruk for the first time.
SD1: In the town square, he finds a group of citizens preparing for battle.
Citizen 2: Can you hear the battle drums?
Elder 2: The army must be getting close.
Elder 1: We must get to the wall.
Amar: I am afraid.
Anisa: I am afraid too.
Gilgamesh: Do not be afraid, Amar and Anisa.
SD2: All heads turn toward the king.
Amar: King . . . Gilgamesh?
Gilgamesh: I have come back to you.
Elder 2: My king, did you find what you were looking for?
Gilgamesh: Yes, but not in the way I expected. I belong to this beautiful city—to her gardens, her temples, and her people.
Elder 1: But you have been gone so long. Even now our enemies are preparing to destroy us.
Gilgamesh: Then let them know this: The king of Uruk has returned, and I will stop at nothing to protect its people. I will happily fight—and die—beside you, for this great city will live on long after I am gone. In that way, I will be immortal.
All: All hail King Gilgamesh! All hail the king!
Epilogue
Shutterstock.com
Storyteller: King Gilgamesh saved Uruk. In the coming years, the city flourished under his rule. He built many temples, planted many gardens, and started many schools.
Amar: By the time he died, Uruk was the largest city in the world. Gilgamesh had become famous for his mighty deeds.
Anisa: Stories about him have been told for thousands of years.
Storyteller: The name Gilgamesh has never been forgotten. The king has lived forever after all.
Writing Prompt
In Scene 3, Enkidu says to Gilgamesh, “Perhaps years are not the correct measure of a life.” What does he mean? By the end of the play, what does Gilgamesh realize about how he should measure his life?
This play was originally published in the September 2024 issue.
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Audio
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Activities
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Preparing to Read
Reading and Discussing
Skill-Building Activities
The Core Skills Workout
Quizzes
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Answer Key
(1)
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Audio
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Activities
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Preparing to Read
Reading and Discussing
Skill-Building Activities
The Core Skills Workout
Quizzes
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Answer Key
(1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building
Essential Questions: Should humans live forever? How can humans achieve immortality? What responsibilities do leaders have?
1. Prepare to Read
(20 minutes)
Do Now: Agree or Disagree (10 minutes)
Project the Theme Anticipation Guide on your whiteboard or share the Google Form version with students. Both are available in your Resources tab. Have students decide whether they agree or disagree with each statement, then discuss. (After reading the story, ask students how they think the characters would respond to the statements in the Theme Anticipation Guide.)
Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)
Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: bedraggled, benevolent, futile, gnarled, immortal, rejuvenation, relentless, resourcefulness. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.
2. Read and Discuss
(55 minutes)
Invite a volunteer to read aloud the As You Read box on page 16 or at the top of the digital story page.
Assign parts and read the play aloud as a class.
Divide students into groups to discuss the following Discussion Questions, which are also located in the Resources tab.
Discussion Questions (30 minutes)
1. King Gilgamesh is introduced in Scene 1. What can you tell about his personality from this first scene? (character, inference) You can tell that Gilgamesh is a complex character who is both compassionate and demanding. He’s unreasonable in his exchange with the Elders, demanding that they save Enkidu’s life even though they cannot. Yet he shows compassion to Anisa and Amar and is quick to help them, and he cares deeply about Enkidu. He is neither all good nor all bad.
2. How does Gilgamesh seem different in Scene 2 than in Scene 1? What has caused the change? (character) In Scene 2, Gilgamesh is violently angry, smashing everything in sight with his ax. He no longer seems to care about his people and has become fixated on achieving immortality. This change is caused by the death of his close friend Enkidu.
3. At the end of Scene 4, Gilgamesh says, “Thank you, gods, for giving me such resourcefulness.” Where else in the play does he express a similar idea? What do these statements tell you about him? (text structure, character) After making it through the tunnel in Scene 3, Gilgamesh says, “Thank you, gods, for giving me such strength.” These statements tell you that Gilgamesh not only feels gratitude for his good fortune, but that he also believes the gods are responsible for that good fortune.
4. What is the tone of Gilgamesh’s line “Surely my people can manage without me” at the end of Scene 5? (tone) Gilgamesh’s tone is dismissive. Gilgamesh is giving little thought to the needs of his people.
5. In Scene 8, why is Gilgamesh calm in the face of chaos? (inference, character) Gilgamesh is admiring the city he built and realizing how much he can achieve. He knows his true purpose now: not to live forever but to make sure his city lives on.
6. When Gilgamesh returns to Uruk, the citizens are quick to welcome him. Should they be more resentful about his absence? (critical thinking) Answers may vary. Some students might say yes: Gilgamesh behaved foolishly and selfishly and endangered his people by going on a pointless mission. Others might say no: The desire for immortality is universal and Gilgamesh is only human—and he might have even become a better leader because of his journey.
7. What would be the pros and cons of living forever? Would you want to live forever? (critical thinking) Answers will vary.
3. Write About It: Theme
(45 minutes)
Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Theme. This activity will prepare them to respond to the writing prompt on page 20 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:
In Scene 3, Enkidu says to Gilgamesh, “Perhaps years are not the correct measure of a life.” What does he mean? By the end of the play, what does Gilgamesh realize about how he should measure his life?
Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.
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Text-to-Speech