Mythological Hardship Research Paper

In Genesis, we are engaged with an omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent God. The Lord saw all the evil upon the earth and devised a plan to cleanse it and start anew with a righteous man named Noah and his family. The Lord’s plan consisted of a flood to destroy the earth and all the evil in and on it. He instructed Noah how to build an ark, so his family and two of each animal, male

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created-people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.”(Genesis 6:5-8)

Throughout this course, I have learned about what a myth is and all of the themes that fit into myths. The most common themes seen throughout the myths we have studied during this course are fate, pride and hubris, heroism, justice and vengeance, and beauty. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about mythology throughout this course and I have always felt that the controlling question driving this course is, why is mythology so important to us, even today? It is important to know the answer to this question and to know about the different themes seen throughout the myths studied in this course.

    The Enuma Elish, often known as The Creation Epic, is often considered the primary source of Mesopotamian cosmology. However, to view the Enuma Elish as a cosmological myth obscures the true intent of the epicís author. The cosmological elements of the Enuma Elish are secondary to the authorís effort to explain the supremacy of Marduk, to justify absolute oriental monarchy, and to defend Babylon as the axis mundi.

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

God decided to wipe out mankind with a flood. In order to help repopulate the earth after the flood was over, God called upon Noah. God told Noah to build himself an ark out of cypress wood, with room inside. He told Noah to cover the ark, both inside and out with pitch to protect it from the waters. God instructed Noah as to the size of the ark, and what it was to look like. “The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle, and upper decks.” (Genesis 6: 15-16)

Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” This was God’s command to Noah, unlike Utnapishtim who was told the secret of the flood by one of the gods.

Within “Enuma Elish,” the Babylonians gave an account of how they believed the world was formed. The gods were viewed as most important, and supposedly had absolute power, however, these gods were not preexisting, nor all powerful. “I shall appoint my holy chambers / I shall establish my kingship”(V.32.7-8). The gods were believed to rule over everything that occurred in the universe. Contrary to the most high God, the gods depicted in Enuma Elish were self centered, arrogant bigots. According to this myth, humans were created to serve the gods. “I shall create humankind, they shall bear the gods’ burdens that those may rest”(VI.33.6-7-8). Marduk, the creator god, was viewed as a hero, because of his overthrowing of Tiamat and Apsu. “He is indeed the son, the Sun, the most radiant of the gods”(VI.35.87-88). Though Marduk

“And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy the earth. Make yourself an ark…” (Genesis 6:13-14, English Standard Version) “For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.” (Genesis 6:17, ESV) “And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.” (Genesis 6:19, ESV) “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22, ESV) “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of

Sadly, the Bible reports that nearly all of Adam’s descendents “had corrupted their way upon the earth and lost their true direction” (Gen. 6:12 Amplified Bible), and, as a result of this intolerable situation, God told Noah that He had determined “to make an end of all flesh [as well as] destroy … the land … by [bringing] a flood of waters upon the earth” (Gen. 6:13, 17). After the Holy Creator had uttered this apocalyptic intent, He proceeded to provide Noah with instructions on how he was to build an ark, which included information on a list of vital materials (Gen. 6:14), some details on the manner they were to be used (Gen. 6:14), basic blueprints of its structure (Gen. 6:14, 16), and, what measurements the floating vehicle was to have when it was completed, which Scriptures report was to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:15).

I’m going to compare the Enuma Elish, the Babylonian creation myth to the Creation of Titans and the Gods, the Greek creation myth. The first similarity between the two is pretty obvious; they are both creation myths. All of the gods in both myths are related to some part of the naturalness of the earth. For instance, god of the sky (Zeus, Anu), god of the waters (Apsu, Tiamat, Poseidon), ETC. In both myths the storyline as a whole is the same, the details are what differ. The fathers are afraid of their children overthrowing them. Each father devises a plan to rid themselves of the threat by getting rid of the children.

But what we don’t realize is that the Greek Gods are still alive. They have companies and products

Mythology and Religion existed since the beginning of time and has developed along with mankind. There are many questions and different perspectives about both Mythology and Religion. Mythology is a collection of myths that belong to a specific cultural or religious tradition or group. Mythology includes Mythical stories or folk tales that were passed down from many generations that bring up Gods. Goddesses, Heroes, and the creation of life. Religion however is the belief in and practice worshiping of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. There are various types of Religions that results in different religious perspectives and opinions. Many people believe that Mythology and Religion have no connections, that they

Do you know about Greek mythology? The Greeks invented it with lots of gods to explain the world around. The Romans did the same thing but changed up the names. The Greeks did not write things so I wonder how they found out about it. The Greeks also made myths and stories to go with the gods. If bad things happened they blamed the gods. For example a lightning strikes a tree “Zues did it!” One of the most known gods is Poseidon, the god of the sea and earthquakes. Poseidon has a huge family, lots of physical features, and celebrations to honor him.

In the Enûma Elish, the Babylonian epic of creation, Tiamat gives birth to the first generation of deities; her husband, Apsu, correctly assuming they are planning to kill him and usurp his throne, later makes war upon them and is killed. Enraged, she, too, wars upon her husband's murderers, taking on the form of a massive sea dragon, she is then slain by Enki's son, the storm-god Marduk, but not before she had brought forth the monsters of the Mesopotamian pantheon, including the first dragons, whose bodies she filled with "poison instead of blood". Marduk then forms heavens and the earth from her divided body. This story highlights the concept that a woman cannot be in a position of power without becoming corrupt. This benevolent mother creator goddess yet as soon as she is faced with hardship she turns to evil and violence. Peace is only achieved by the slaughter of the now violent woman. The moral of the story becomes that a woman who acts of her own accord and who cannot be controlled is dangerous and must be destroyed. This concept permeated through mesopotamian culture.