Monday, June 12, 2006

Gilgamesh - An epic coming to you soon!

Do you have a spare two hours to spend listening to an epic poem?

Would it make a difference if I told you that the poem is between 3000 and 4000 years old?

Did you ever wonder what may have contributed to the inspiration for J. R.R. Tolkien's creation stories for the Numenoreans?

Gilgamesh is the original warrior/king/hero, whose best friend Enkidu is created for him by the Gods, to teach Gilgamesh about humilty and mortality. This version that the BBC chose to abridge and dramatize is by poet and translator, Stephen Mitchell, better known for his work on Rainer Maria Rilke. Mitchell's version relies on a deceptively simple rendering of the epic, no less powerful despite his lean use of language.

The very best way of enjoying this epic poem is to hear it, as well as reading it. Buy it quick and then you can listen to it. Or just listen to it - it really is timeless drama

And hurry! This link is only live for another six days - do try and get to it!

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