...Universal Truths on ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh & The Hebrew Bible’ The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Hebrew Bible are considered by their audiences’ as two of the greatest literary works of ancient literature. The universal truths on The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Hebrew Bible, are most fundamental when viewed from both the contemporary and traditional audiences. Fundamentally, both audiences develop their own universal truths during the time in which the events transpired or by reading the scenic events from an anthology or other literary works. Most importantly, both literary works have sought the attention of their perspective audiences by their ancient texts, which also brought about spiritual interpretations from a religious point of view. These ancient literatures were written and re-written by numerous authors with their spiritual interpretations as their main thesis. Thus, the audiences’ philosophical interpretations create the thread that sews these two literary works to their universal truths. There are several scenes in both literatures that have similar spiritual interpretations. For example, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, “Your clothes should be clean, Your head should be washed, You should bathe in water, (Sec. 10, 77 – 79).” In this epic scene, Gilgamesh embraces the notion of cleansing himself from the darkness that was bestowed upon him. Gilgamesh’s cleansing of both his garments and his body symbolizes his rebirth. In The Hebrew Bible, darkness and evil amongst...
Words: 590 - Pages: 3
...The story of Noah’s ark and the flood in the Christian bible could have influenced the story of the food in The Epic of Gilgamesh. You can see this relation by what both characters were told to do and what followed after. In The Bible, God said, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle...
Words: 698 - Pages: 3
...The Epic of Gilgamesh is known to be the oldest recorded story in human history that is over 4000 years old. The story introduces “the first hero” ever known. A cruel Sumerian king who ruled the city of Uruk and did not care for his people but himself, he thought too highly of himself because he was half god, very strong, and had never found an equal. Although no one could defeat him, the people and gods were tired of his selfishness and decided to end his cruelty. They created a human named Enkidu who was as strong as him and both fought a fiercely battle where Gilgamesh had defeated Enkidu but realized that he had finally found an equal. The story follows Gilgamesh on a quest with Enkidu who becomes his friend. They both go out and fight different obstacles to save the world but before they can do that Enkidu dies in a battle leaving Gilgamesh with great sorrow, and seeks on a new quest to find eternal life for him and to bring his friend back to life. His selfishness to gain immortality leaves him with nothing but to realize that eternal life is not just given that easy. This old story continues to influence modern storytelling. There are different connections to this story like the Bible’s Old Testament and Greek mythology that still have a role in today’s society. The Bible’s Old Testament has many stories in common with the Epic of Gilgamesh. Since there are many followers of the Bible, it is very interesting to know how people would react to the similarities that both...
Words: 1380 - Pages: 6
...Neessa Fleurant 04/27/12 ENGL 175 Major influence Although the narrative or story of Noah and the flood is one of the great stories in the Bible, many question its originality. The biblical version of the flood in Genesis 6-10 is “quite close in many respects to the Mesopotamian flood stories” (The New Oxford Annotated Bible pg 19), which were written beforehand. As much as they are similar, there are significant differences that distinguish the two tales and their reliability. The epic of Gilgamesh, written by the Sumerians between 2700 B.C. and 600 B.C., is the most famous parallel to the story of Noah in the bible. It focuses on the king of Uruk Gilgamesh, and his quest for immortality after the death of his friend. This quest leads him to Utnapishtim, (character equivalent to the biblical Noah) who is the “immortal flood hero” (Wikipedia). Utnapishtim then recounts to Gilgamesh the story of how he survived the flood. There are seven main similarities between the flood in the epic of Gilgamesh and that of Genesis. The foremost and obvious is that both of the characters were warned to build a boat to escape a flood. Secondly families of both Noah and Utnapishtim were saved along with the sampling of animals they were instructed to gather. Third, both floods are believed to have occurred on or in the Mesopotamian plain. Next come the fact that both boats were sealed with tar, and during the flood both men sent out a dove and raven to determine...
Words: 1455 - Pages: 6
...Bridgett Traylor ENGL 2111- 12 Mrs. Schmitt 18 February 2016 The Same or Just Coincidence? One may wonder how a biblical narrative and an ancient Mesopotamian epic could have anything in common, as biblical narratives, such as the Flood in Genesis, are written by divine inspiration and ancient Mesopotamian writings, such as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," are steeped in mythology and written solely by human hand. Although fundamental differences are present in the two, the Flood in Genesis and "The Epic of Gilgamesh" also feature distinct parallels. At first glance, the discrepancies between "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and the Flood in Genesis appear to overpower any resemblances perhaps perceived as coincidences. However, further inspection uncovers startling similarities in these two accounts of the Great Flood, leading many to believe that the parallels are not coincidences at all. The story of the Flood in Genesis was first written as part of the Old Testament by the Jewish people. However, it is predated by far by the story "The Epic of Gilgamesh," a story that originates in the same area that holds many striking similarities to the tale of the Flood in Genesis. Though the story is modified to accommodate new characters, many properties of the story are similar, from small details like the creatures that are used as scouts to the religious purpose of the flood itself. For example, both the flood stories start with the characters receiving specific building instructions for a ship...
Words: 1078 - Pages: 5
...Running head: THE TWO FLOODS 1 Noah and Gilgamesh the Two Great Floods Jonathan Bailey Oakland City University English 201 World Lit. The Two Floods 2 The History The epic story of Gilgamesh has been an interest of religious patrons since it was found in the ruins of the great library of Nineveh in the mid-nineteenth century, along with its substantial similarities to the great flood in Noah’s day. The remaining portion of this epic story, which very possibly dates back to the third millennium B.C., and holds little if almost no Christian values, as it distresses the typical beliefs in the myths related with the pagan societies of the period in time. Nevertheless, a number of religious patrons have deliberated on the notion of creation and the hereafter introduced in the epic story. There are even select researchers that have accepted the similarities in the Babylonian and Hebrew findings, while all are not ready to make the connection in the two floods. (Keller, 1956) (anonymous, 2013) There are countless stories telling of floods that have come from ancient sources strewn around the globe. The accounts that were translated from the cuneiform tablets were comprised of some of the most primitive remaining text, having recognizable associations. Cuneiform script was created by the Sumerians and passed on by the Akkadians. Babylonian as well as Assyrian are dialects of Akkadian, and both have instances of floods in them. Despite the fact that there...
Words: 1295 - Pages: 6
...Hebrew Society – Comparison with Hebrew Stories The Old Testament, which is also called the Hebrew Bible, adapts from The Torah, which is a religious document of the Hebrews. It has been said that The Torah symbolizes events and life of the Jewish people, their experiences, laws, legends and the meaning and expressions of their gods. With the Bible, there has been a rough debate of many hundreds of years about the roots of it. The Bible has been written by the beginning of the tenth century, which was by the time the Hebrews have settled in Canaan. The Jewish religion declares that The Torah represents the history of Hebrew people. But scholars tend to argue that the stories that are apparently the creation of Moses and the Hebrew language, are off by more than five hundred years from Torah. Comparing the Hebrew flood story of Noah’s Ark, of 2348 B.C, there are many similarities found with the Epic of Gilgamesh. Both of these stories start out with God getting furious at the people. They, in his mind, were becoming more and more sinful, and because of that, he regretted of ever having to create the human race. So he goes to a man he chooses, Noah, and asks him to build a boat because he wants to get rid of humans. God then gives accurate measurements to Noah for the building of the boat. He then tells Noah to get animals on the boat, two of each, so they could survive. God reminds Noah that a great flood will occur that is to destroy all living things, but save Noah’s...
Words: 1441 - Pages: 6
...The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Job can be thoroughly analyzed containing many similarities and differences. These two works of literature were written in different time periods. Fiero states that The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem that precedes the Hebrew bible (19), while The Book of Job is religious text that is an actual excerpt from the Hebrew bible. Both originated from the region, Mesopotamia where it was common for people to have negative views on everything and believe that the evil in the world outweighs the good. Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Job in The Book of Job shows these views in both works. Utnapishtim says to Gilgamesh, “There is no permanence” (Fiero 37). This shows how Utnapishtim believes that good things won’t last forever. God blesses the main characters in both works. Gilgamesh is blessed with a perfect body, beauty, and courage. “Two thirds they made him God and one third man” (Fiero 19). Job was blessed with flocks of animals, a large family, and protected land. Job is said to be “blameless and upright” (Fiero 34). Although blessed both men were pushed to their mental and physical limits to see what they were made of. “Job and Gilgamesh are tested by superhuman forces, and both come to realize that misfortune and suffering are typical of the human condition” (Fiero 37). Gilgamesh is tested when Ishtar, the Goddess of love, takes the life of his companion Enkidu for rejecting her affections for him. “Because I am afraid of death...
Words: 1717 - Pages: 7
...Mrs. Anderson Honors English IV July 31, 2011 The Epic of Gilgamesh A man who wrestled giants, killed heavenly bulls, and even killed a herd of lions still was only man and never a god. Gilgamesh was a classic and may be one of the first epic heroes. He had many of the qualities that fit that role. On the other hand Enkidu fit more of an antihero than an epic one. The culture of the story, from what the book explains, took place at around the time of biblical times and A.D. Also there are many religious influences in the story that even intertwine with stories from the bible. You can tell that these religious comparisons came into the story because it was an oral tradition. Gilgamesh was a valiant hero who cared for his people and his companions. The story of Gilgamesh was a tremendous discovery for ancient literature. Gilgamesh was your typical epic hero. He was stronger than any man and the world. He was even two thirds god and one third man. Gilgamesh cared for his people and loved his best friend and they both never left each other’s side. Gilgamesh during his life knew no obstacles that he could not overcome. In the end he died, but he was able to fulfill his quest by finding the Larsen 2 flower that granted eternal life, still to lose it to a snake. An epic hero can’t live forever and is still only man. Enkidu was not your classic antihero, but when in comparison to Gilgamesh, he is not the epic hero. Enkidu was a fearful man and did not want to...
Words: 597 - Pages: 3
...literatures of The Hebrew Bible and The Epic Of Gilgamesh I believe there is more to a women’s part in history than it appears. Whether it is for better or for worse it is apparent that women have played a key role in shaping the future of man. In genesis, the story of Eve has given men reasons to suppress women. Eve, although a women she played a vital part in the story. Eve was fist to be tempted by the serpent and the first to sin. It was the woman who was deceived. She could be identified as a temptress to Adam, the one you persuaded him to commit sin. This is why the role that Eve plays is similar to that of the serpent. In any case her part was not for the better of man. It portrays women as sinister and evil. In the story it justified that women are guilty for the misery that mankind had to suffer. In literature women did not always play as evil individuals that held back the potential of man. In The Epic of Gilgamesh it shows that women can be powerful with the ability to influence men with their delicacy and intellect. In the epic women represents not only power but also great wisdom. The Priestess Shamhat, the temple herlot is an example of that. She was able to tame the wild man, Enkidu. She used sex as a tool to domesticate Enkidu. This can be represented that all men are wild and primitive but with the influence of a woman it is possible to be controled. Another important female figure was the tavern keeper, Shiduri. After Enkidi’s death, Gilgamesh had set out in a journey...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...The relationship between God and Human In many myths, God create the world and human beings. In Bible, God is described as the creator of the universe, rulers of the world, judge of evil and saver of human. In Genesis Chapter 1, God created the heavens and the earth. God created water, light, plants, different species and human beings in six days. God created human. People shall fear God, worship the power of God. In the relationship between God and Human, faith is the important part which tells people how to do. In the Christian faith, the solution to “how to do” is “believe in the God, and all shalt be saved”. Christians believe that the soul of human life is controlled by sin. They cannot save themselves. Only way to save is to believe God. For Christians, God is the center of faith that believers can gain confidence, strength to obtain power against the darkness and evil. Divine Obedience to God is the center of the relationship between God and human in Bible. In order to find the relationship between God and human, I choose a fairly representative example – the text from Genesis 22. The text I choose is about the relationship between Abraham and God. Abraham plays a vital role in Bible. He had a special covenant relationship between the Jewish people and God. Also, he fully believes in God. So I believe this text can help me explain the relationship between God and human -- Human’s obedience to God. In this text, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son to God...
Words: 1218 - Pages: 5
...they are standing, others believe that the Earth was covered in water and the land was lifted up. In some cases, humans and animals lived in harmony one with the other, but that was short-lived due to the sins that humans did against their creators, or the animals used or deceived humans and were punished for that. Some of these myths start with a birth, which represents life, also this relates to the idea of a figure either maternal or paternal, and we all can relate to this right? Such stories are almost infinitely varied in detail, but they tend to include some basic themes. Popol Vuh is the religious history or “bible” for the ancient Mayan civilization. The Popol Vuh has a polytheistic religion. The Popol Vuh contains a series of four efforts at...
Words: 1069 - Pages: 5
...Gilgamesh and Enkidu learn all too well that the gods are dangerous for mortals. Gods live by their own laws and frequently behave as emotionally and irrationally as children. Piety is important to the gods, and they expect obedience and flattery whenever possible. They can often be helpful, but angering them is sheer madness—and a character’s reverence for the gods is no guarantee of safety. Thus, the world of The Epic of Gilgamesh differs markedly from that of the Judeo-Christian tradition, in which God is both a partner in a covenant and a stern but loving parent to his people. The covenant promises that people will receive an earthly or heavenly inheritance if they behave well. The Judeo-Christian God represents not just what is most powerful but what is morally best—humans should aspire to imitate him. These differences are noteworthy because Gilgamesh also shares certain common elements with the Judeo-Christian Bible. Both Gilgamesh and parts of the Bible are written in similar languages: Hebrew is related to Akkadian, the Babylonian language that the author used in composing the late versions of Gilgamesh. The Bible comes from the same region as Gilgamesh and shares some of its motifs and stories, such as the serpent as the enemy who deprives humans of eternal life and, most important, the flood. In both the Bible and Gilgamesh, disobedience to a god or gods brings dire consequences. Although we never learn exactly why the gods unleashed the great flood in Gilgamesh...
Words: 351 - Pages: 2
...Introduction The epic poem dubbed the Epic of Gilgamesh is perhaps the earliest surviving literature on the face of the planet. The poem came from Mesopotamia in its original cuneiform script comprising 12 tablets. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a chronicle detailing the classic adventures of Gilgamesh, a historic king of Uruk. Over the years, historians have eliminated the 12th tablet for alleged inconsistencies. The poem depicts a wide range of themes such as the inevitability of death, which is portrayed when Gilgamesh’s struggle to be young backfires. Other themes include the struggle between humanity and divine power, necessity of friendship, oppression, and the enduring struggle for power along with the conflict between the rulers and the ruled. Relationship between the Ruler and the Ruled The conflict between rulers and their subjects is perhaps the most enduring historical trend known to humanity. As Machiavelli, Hobbes, Karl Marx and other realist theorist of power politics concur, this longstanding conflict manifests itself in terms of oppression and suppression where the ruling class seeks to dominate the masses financially, socially and politically. This trend is no more today as it was then. It is a reflection of survival for the fittest as envisioned in Darwin’s evolution theory (Foster 45). Looking at the epic of Gilgamesh, which was created at around 2500 BC, oppression emerges as one of the mainstream themes. This is portrayed in the eminence of the king...
Words: 1568 - Pages: 7
...Similarities and Differences between Th story of the Fall in Genesis and Enkidu in the Epic of Gilgamesh Read all about Enkidu and The Fall in the book Genesis we can find some similarities but also Differences between the tow that capture the reader’s attention, here are some of them: In The Fall in the book Genesis. It talks about the Garden of Eden. Lived a man named Adam who was created by God in his name and likeness, Adam lived in the garden next to the animals, as one of them, without any knowledge. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells us that the goddess Ururu created Enkidu. Enkidu was created half human and half animal. He lived in the woods with animals as a beast. Hunters and farmers feared the strange beast, as well Adam. Enkidu was created to stop the excesses of the king of uruk Gilgamesh. Between these two characters a great friendship was born that lead them to undertake great adventures. In The Fall in Genesis tells us about God.He decided to create companion for Adam. Then God created Eve as the companion of Adam. Adam and Eve lived together in the garden without feeling ashamed of their nakedness. However in the garden lived a snake. He tells Eve that God had deceived than about the fruit of the tree of knowledge. He tempts her to taste the tree fruit of the tree of knowledge, and she convinces Adam to do the same. Adam and Eve are expelled from the garden and give knowledge of their nakedness. As in the Fall Genesis, Enkidu was a primitive...
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
