Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper
The story of the flood in bothe the Epic of Gilgamesh and in Gensis follows a common
outline of narratives, however, each of these similarities are addressed and cxarried out in
separate ways. THe way in which a particular similarity is handled serves to reflect on the
nature of the divinity in these stories..
IN each story the flood isbrought on as a result of the divinities? dissatisfaction
with mankind?s behavior. In Geneis, God is concerned with man?s lawlessness. ?All
mortals led depraved lives on earth,? (Gen. 6.12) IN contrast to God?s offense of mortal
llife in the Bible, the gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh, simply become irritated with man.
?The uproar of mankind is intoleravble and slep is no longer possible by reason of the
babel. So the Gods agreed to exterminate mankind.? (The Epic of Gilgamesh. pg 108) IN
this case, man seems to cause a disruption in the lives of the gods, and therefor their
forthcoming extermination is based upon a disruption of comfort. In Genesis, God?s
distate with mortality comes from its corruption. This difference begins to characterixe the
dual groups of diviites and how they relate with the world they govern. IN Genesis, the
notion that God appears mor disciplined and paternal in his relation to his subjects is
formed. fgFor his decision to bring on the flood s deciced ater surveying man?s
lawlessness and depracity. In the Epic of gilgaamesh, the great god, Enil, was ?arouse by
the clamour.? This suggests that the gods weresuddenly distrated by their subjects and
leaves room to infer that their montering of man was not as constant nor as detailed as
that of the God in Genesis. Thesecpntrasts are further portrayed when oberving the
differing manner with which the preparation for the flood takes place in the separate
stories.
IN each story a mortal is approached and told to construct a boat or ark in which
to insure some life precails through the flood. However, in Genesis it is stressed that God
selects