Epic Vs Gilgamesh

Throughout the Genesis Flood, Atrahasis Flood and the Epic of Gilgamesh flood, there are many different ways to interpret the different views of The Flood. These different narratives in these stories have their own explanation on how this myth took place and the different beliefs that occurred during this flood. The way you portray each narrative is based on what exactly your beliefs are.

Both the story of “Noah and the Flood” in the book of Genesis in The Hebrew Bible and the flood story in The Epic of Gilgamesh detail a grand flood in which a man saved life from extinction by building an ark, earning fame and immortality in some form. The theme of completing this grand task for a moral purpose holds true to both stories, but the depiction and actions of the divine and mortal characters in the stories contain different similarities and differences.

While the book of Genesis in the bible and The Epic of Gilgamesh have striking similarities in the sense of creation and the great flood, the interactions between the divine beings and humans differ greatly. One matter that impacts the entire relationship between gods and humans in both accounts is that the gods in the epic are not almighty beings like God in Genesis since they cannot control each other’s domains. Because of this, they must travel from place to place and work with other gods to carry out a certain task. The gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh were very much like humans and interacted more with them in daily life. In contrast, the all-powerful god in Genesis seems distant and far from having human-like characteristics and does not need to interact with other gods. At the same time, both stories display the reverence and fear humans have for the supreme beings because of their authoritative qualities.

The floods in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis 6-9 are very similar. In both the flood were sent to wipe out all humankind. Both floods however could be seen as symbols as a rebirth or a new beginning to what was see by God and the gods as a crumbling world. Both heroes in the story were chosen to build a boat to save a

In both Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood, man’s wickedness leads to death, destruction, and rebirth all caused by billions of gallons of water sweeping the earth’s surface. The flood in both stories destroys most of mankind. The floods represent rebirth and a new beginning for mankind, as well as the gods and God’s wrath. In Gilgamesh the gods decide to destroy mankind by flooding the earth for six days and nights. Utnapishtim is chosen to build a boat in order to restart mankind after the flood. In the Bible God also decides to flood the earth due to the increase in wickedness. God chooses Noah to build an ark and store seven pairs of every clean animal and two of every other kind of animal on it

The Hebrew Flood story of Noah and his obligation to preserve man kind after God had punished all living creatures for their inequities parallels The Epic of Gilgamesh in several ways. Even though these two compilations are passed on orally at different times in history the similarities and differences invoke deliberation when these stories are compared. Numerous underlining themes are illustrated throughout each story. Humans are guilty of transgressions and must be punished, God or Gods send a flood as punishment to destroy this evil race, a person is selected by the gods to build a craft that will withstand the flood and allow this person to create a new race. An

While Genesis in the bible and The Epic of Gilgamesh have striking similarities in the sense of creation and the great flood, the interactions between the divine beings and humans differ greatly. One matter that impacts the entire relationship between gods and humans in both accounts is that the gods in the epic are not almighty beings like God in Genesis since they cannot control each other’s domain. Because of this, they must travel from place to place and work with other gods to carry out a certain task. The gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh act very much like humans and interfere more with their daily lives. In contrast, the all-powerful god in Genesis seems distant and far from having human-like characteristics and does not need to interact with other gods. At the same time, both stories display the reverence and fear humans have for the supreme beings because of their authoritative qualities.

In the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ and ‘The Biblical Flood Story’ have a very similar plot line, but many several key differences. In both stories a flood occurs, which were caused by the God/s( This shows that in Gilgamesh they were polytheistic while in the Biblical version they were monotheistic. ) to destroy the people of the earth. For both flood stories, a specific person is chosen to build an arc but for different reasons. In the Biblical story, Noah builds the arc due to his righteous character but in Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim built the arc to save himself. Later on in both stories birds are released making them seem very similar. In the end, the stories are separated because of the covenants

The theme of religion is prevalent throughout The Epic of Gilgamesh. Readers can see that the stories found in Gilgamesh often run parallel to those found in the Bible. The great flood, a magic plant, and deceitful snakes are found in both Gilgamesh and the Bible. In the epic, humans are obedient to the gods and religion is an important part of everyday life. One foundational story found in the Bible is that of Noah’s Ark talked about in Genesis. Gilgamesh also has an adventure concerning a flood, “Utanapishtim spoke to Gilgamesh, saying: ‘ I will reveal to you, Gilgamesh, a thing that is hidden…a city that you surely know… The hearts of the Great Gods moved them to inflict a Flood (Tablet XI 9-14). In both stories, the sin of man angered their God or gods which caused them to punish all of mankind. There are also some similarities regarding the “magic plant” and “magic tree.” In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve are instructed by God to not eat from the fruit of the “Tree of Knowledge” at the beginning of

Various culture around the world at various times have written myths about catastrophic floods. These myths contain different reasons and purposes behind the flood and why it was sent. Two of the most notable and strikingly different flood accounts are Noah and the great flood found in Genesis, and the Sumerian flood found in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The differences in these flood accounts are who started the flood, the way these two cultures related to the divine, and blank.

Ancient world literature and early civilization stories are mostly centered on human’s relationship with higher beings. Ancient civilizations were extremely religious, holding the belief that their very lives were in the hands of their almighty god or goddess. This holds true for both the people of biblical times as well as those of the epic era. However, their stories have some differences according to cultural variation but the main structure, ideas, and themes are generally found correlative. It is hard to believe that one work did not affect the others. The first great heroic epic poem of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament are parts of two cultures that are hundreds of years apart. Whereas Gilgamesh is a myth and the book of Genesis is

In the myths of Artahasis and the Epic of Gilgamesh (Utnapishtsm’s story) we see two very similar versions of the flood that was sent by the God to kill humans due to over population. However, the endings of both of these myths have a significant difference. In the poem of Artahasis, the God Enki/Ea suggests to Ellil, the God whom decides the fate of humans, that the gods should introduce mortality in human infants and shorten the life span of humans. In comparison, the Epic of Gilgamesh (Utnapishsm’s story) states that Ea/Enki actually chastises Ellil for sending the flood and that there are better ways to subdue the over population of humans. He advises Ellil to send famine or a wild animal to kill off a few people in which is accepted

Someone once wrote “The Lord saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time”(Noah and the flood pg.171). “ The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel” (the Epic of Gilgamesh pg.147). Both stories from two different cultures but despite the differences in the heroes, their gods, and the flood stories in “Noah and the Flood” and “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” both of these stories appear to refer to the same historical event the great flood.

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Mesopotamian culture believes a flood from the gods can destroy mankind. Ancient Mesopotamians viewed the world as a small place. They were skilled craftsmen that built a boat that could withstand the might of the gods. They valued gold and silver. They needed to please the gods thru sacrifice and other religious practices. Their gods would communicate with them by secrecy and held council meetings like them. If it was not for the immortality and the divine powers the gods held they looked and acted much like the Mesopotamians.

The epic of Gilgamesh demonstrates how the good and the humans work together. this ancient poem broadens the reader knowledge on the use of word and how it is being used as a song. Gilgamesh was 2/3 god and 1/3 human. In the epic poem, the gods intervene in the lives and action of humans. The gods represent people and physical place in which they act like patrons or masters. Anu the god of heavens is the caretaker of the Uruk town. The importance of the relationship between the gods and human can be seen in page () “The gods were frightened by the Flood, and retreated, ascending to the heaven of Anu. The gods were cowering like dogs, crouching by the outer wall.” (Norton). It can be inferred that when Enlil causes the flood in Uruk, Ea the