Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative

I was assigned to read the Epic of Gilgamesh for a World Literature class in College, but I have to say that I wish I had read it sooner. The translation by Mason is easy to read, and truly draws you into the story. However, even though completely understandable by the modern reader, it still has a sense of authenticity. It made me feel like I was an actual Babylonian, being told the story first hand. It certainly doesn't read like your average classical work. When I read it, it was if it was actually being read to me. I sat down and read the entire book in one sitting and time felt like it was flying by. This is an excellent translation, and I would highly recommend it to anyone..As for the story itself, I hate to sound like a sentimentalist, but this is the classical work for anyone who has ever truly loved a friend. The story truly captures what it is like to have a purely platonic relationship with a best friend. Also, it is incredibly entertaining with the adventures the characters go on. When Enkidu died though, I cried a little myself. It is incredibly easy to become attached to the character. And we can all relate to Gilgamesh's quest to bring him back. In a way, we all wish we could prevent not only our own death but the death of our loved ones. Also, the story gives a true to life picture of the desperation that comes with the death of a loved one. Not to mention, the fears that this book touches upon. Are their people out there that are our matches? Will we be remembered after death? Truly, this book shows why it is one of the greatest examples of classical world Literature.

I picked up this book back in the early 1970's from a little card shop in 140 Village Shopping Center, Westminster, Maryland. The owner and his daughters were almost my family because I came back again and again to the small "classics" rack they had on the back wall of the shop, and I sometimes fantasize that they stocked the racks with me in mind. There I found cheap paperback editions of Shelley and Milton and Pope among others, and one day I noticed this wonderful book and bought it with my spare change for something like 50 cents. Not only did the story of Gilgamesh as retold by Mr. Mason grip me, but I was enthralled by the "easy" free verse of the lines. The simple prose narrative was made to look and "sound" somewhat like a poem by the way it was set up on the page. I recognized this same kind of sensibility at work much later when I read Charles Reznikoff's Testimony and his long poem on the Holocaust, and encountered Dennis Tedlock's exercises in ethnopoetic translation. In a sense, then, this was my introduction to a new kind of postmodern poetics, and for that this "verse narrative"--now appearing in its latest version from Mariner Books, and augmented by an autobiographical postscript by the author--holds an important place in my development.On the other hand, it was not until I began reading Armand Schwerner's "Tablets" that I went back and began to investigate the more scholarly versions of Gilgamesh, and I discovered the extent to which Mr. Mason's narrative diverges from the original both in form and content. To get a real feeling for the true Gilgamesh I recommend the Andrew George translation (published by Penguin)of all the available versions and fragments. However, for a good introduction to Gilgamesh's quest to recover Enkidu from the dead suitable for high school classes or ESL college classes, I would suggest this one. Indeed, I plan to use this book in future in my comparative literature classes in Japan. Mason's description of Gilgamesh's grief retold in such plain language is very understandable to students at all levels, and very moving.

I found Mason's Gilgamesh to be a good read. The book was easy to read and flowed nicely. It is a shorter story which allowed the reader to stay involved in it. The length also made it easy to remember past events to make connections throughout the story. I also found Mason's translation easy to understand. The language he used was not complex, but still common for the times. Mason's Gilgamesh is also relatable, not only to life today but to other literary works and structures. The story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu can be fit into the hero's journey. This allows for a greater understanding of the plot. I found the themes portrayed in the book positive and powerful. They were clearly portrayed and added depth to the book.The story in Gilgamesh is a story of great friendship. The story shows how society can change a person as well as how friendship can affect people and change them as well. The plot involves the trial and triumph of Enkidu and Gilgamesh. These events show the strength of friendship and how much it can impact one's life. The actions of the two men change each one of their lives significantly. This shows that all actions come with consequences, even if they are not immediate. After a series of events Gilgamesh is alone and searching for immortality. The latter half of the book is spent taking the reader on Gilgamesh's journey seeking immortality, ultimately ending with his return to Uruk. When he returns he is a new man and ready to rule over kingdom again.This ultimately shows how one person can change after a series of events as well as how one event can completely change a person.Overall, I think this book is a very good read.I personally enjoyed the story and read it in one sitting. I would recommend it to others and believe it is worth the purchase.

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Good read

Great translation to a great story that resonates through the ages.

An excellent and engaging version of the classic text that deserves a new generation of readers. A desert island book

Always curious about this story. This verse version is easy to follow.