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