Hey everyone. I recently started college and the first assignment that I have is on the Epic of Gilgamesh.
The class required "The Norton Anthology|World Literature, versions 1&2" for required texts, and that is where we are to read The Epic of Gilgamesh.
I have the book, and reading along with that, and trying to also do work online and trying to view the digital texts, but it appears that there are multiple versions and formats of the Epic of Gilgamesh?
I've been familiar with the story of Gilgamesh for a while now, as well as the Sumerian Tablets, Anu, Enki, Enlil, etc. and there's things in this "Norton's" version that I don't like and very conflicting with what I already know.
Does anybody know of different variations or adaptations of English translated Epic's? I'm aware that it's an ancient story adapted and changed by cultures all over the world since the history of it's creation, but I'm talking about just widely publicized English versions.
Thanks in advance
Are there multiple English variations ... there's things in this "Norton's" version that I don't like and very conflicting with what I already know
This is very vague, especially for someone who doesn't have access to the Norton anthology version. It's difficult to guess what exactly the problem is. Do you mean that you're looking for a different English translation? Or is it that you're puzzled about there being multiple ancient versions (the Standard Version, multiple Old Babylonian versions, Sumerian and Hittite versions)?
Probably still the best English edition of Gilgamesh is the Penguin Classics edition translated by Andrew George (1999). There are others: Stephanie Dalley's translation for the Oxford World's Classics series (1989) is also respectable. Both include the fragments of the Old Babylonian version as well as the Standard Version; both give explanatory notes; both are top-class experts on ancient Mesopotamia. I prefer George's edition, since it's more up-to-date, in a more natural style, and has far more explanatory notes. I'm aware there are other looser retellings (as opposed to translations).
I can't say more without having to second-guess what the problem is. There's one misconception I can clear up, though --
I'm aware that it's an ancient story adapted and changed by cultures all over the world since the history of it's creation
The Gilgamesh epic was lost and entirely forgotten in antiquity; it wasn't rediscovered until the 1800s. Between those times, it definitely wasn't adapted by anyone, or influential on anyone.