Verified Document

Gilgamesh The Biblical Flood And Essay

It is obvious that there had been little materials available for the two characters to use at the time in order for them to glue their boats. The fact that Noah and Utnapishtim take their families and their livestock to their boats with them is not surprising, since it is the first thing that a person in their position would be expected to do in case of a flood. Noah proves to be gentler than Utnapishtim, as he does not want his neighbors to perish as a result of the flood. The Babylonian character apparently is more practical, as he also takes a pilot and several skilled workers on his boat.

In spite of the fact that Noah and Utnapishtim have their boats rest on top of mountains at the ending of the flood, the two boats do not rest on top of the same mountain. While the Biblical Flood refers to Noah's ark as having remained on top of Mount Ararat, the Epic of Gilgamesh has Utnapishtim's boat rest on top of Mount Nisir.

Another curious similarity between the two accounts is that the men on the boats release birds in order for them to find land. Even with that, different birds are being sent, since whereas Utnapishtim sends a dove, a swallow, and a raven (in that exact succession), Noah sends a raven first and, then, a dove twice.

Most people might find the last two similarities to...

Also it would not be reasonable for several people to come across the concept of releasing birds in order for them to lead them to land.
Besides of the fact that the Biblical Flood is much more elaborate than the one present in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Noah is also submitted to a much longer suffering than Utnapishtim, as the Biblical Flood lasts for 370 days, while the Gilgamesh flood lasts for only 14 days.

The Gods present in the Epic of Gilgamesh prove to have a more humane side, as they feel sorry for having provoked the deaths of almost all of the people. In contrast, Noah's God does not feel any regret for the deaths that He has caused. In the end, God states that he will never provoke a flood of such proportions and advises Noah and his family to procreate with the purpose of repopulating earth. A quarrel begins between the gods from the Epic of Gilgamesh, and, eventually, Gods Ea and Mami create 14 human beings so as to repopulate Earth.

Works cited:

1. Dunn, James D.G. Rogerson, John William. (2003). "Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible." Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Dunn, James D.G. Rogerson, John William. (2003). "Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible." Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Sources used in this document:
Works cited:

1. Dunn, James D.G. Rogerson, John William. (2003). "Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible." Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Dunn, James D.G. Rogerson, John William. (2003). "Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible." Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Epic of Gilgamesh: A Timeless Tale "The
Words: 592 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Epic of Gilgamesh: A Timeless Tale "The Epic of Gilgamesh" is fascinating and worthwhile because it allows us to see how ancient civilizations lived. We often think of the earliest societies in a detached way, never stopping to think of how they thought about certain things or why they did what they did. Gilgamesh's story revolves around gods, goddesses, and worldly leaders but it also shares with humanity the notion of

Gilgamesh to Odysseus: Near Eastern Motifs in Greek Mythology
Words: 2758 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Greek Mythology When the clay tablets that comprise the Akkadian / Old Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh were first pieced together and translated by scholars in the nineteenth century, some aspects of the ancient text seemed remarkably familiar. There was, for example, the account of a great flood, with only a pair of survivors, Utnapishtim and his wife: "How is it that one man has saved himself? / No breath of life

1 A Comparison Between the Flood Myths
Words: 700 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

1 A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FLOOD MYTHS IN THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH AND THE BOOK OF GENESIS The Biblical story of the Flood as found in the Book of Genesis contains many similarities to the Mesopotamian myth known as the Epic of Gilgamesh; in fact, it appears that the Biblical account as related by Noah, ca. 1400-1200 B.C.E., may have been entirely derived from the Epic of Gilgamesh, written some six hundred years earlier

Epic of Gilgamesh Is Literature,
Words: 3483 Length: 7 Document Type: Research Paper

Hi arrival at Uruk tames Gilgamesh who now leaves the new brides to their husbands (Hooker). Gilgamesh and Enkidu journey to the cedar forest to acquire timber for Uruk's walls (this need for protection indicates both increased prosperity and further urbanization), but before doing so they must defeat Khumbaba, the forest's guardian, a primitive, nature deity. They know fear for the first time, triumphing only with help from the god

Classical and Biblical Literature
Words: 1812 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

recurring themes in literature is the exploration of the relationship between the human and the divine. Several different literary works have explored that relationship. Interestingly enough, many of those works are from antiquity, so their stories are considered fictional. Others of those texts refer to living religions, so people are less likely to consider the stories from the basis of fiction or allegory, and approach them as if they

Classical Myths in Children's Writing's
Words: 8051 Length: 20 Document Type: Essay

He stated that, "I mean printed works produced ostensibly to give children spontaneous pleasure and not primarily to teach them, nor solely to make them good, nor to keep them profitably quiet." (Darton 1932/1982:1) So here the quest is for the capture and promotion of children's imagination through stories and fables that please as well as enlighten. There is always the fallout that once a child learns to love

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now