There are many similarities and differences between The Book of Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh. The most obvious similarities between the two accounts are that both are talking about a great flood that was sent by God. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the flood lasts for seven days while in the Book of Genesis, the flood lasts for forty days (pg.12-13). Another similarity is that in both accounts, it was God who told both Noah and Gilgamesh to build the boats as well as to “keep alive living beings” (pg.12-13). One of the differences between the two accounts is that in the Book of Genesis, Noah sent off a dove and a raven in search of dry land, which he eventually found (pg.13). In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh also sent out a dove, and then he sent a swallow, then also a raven and when they all came back with no sign of dry land, he sent out “everything in all directions” (pg.12). Another, more major, difference between the two accounts is that Gilgamesh and his family were not meant to survive while Noah was …show more content…
They seem to view their gods in the same way. Gilgamesh and Noah both put their complete and utter faith in their gods when they decided to build the boats (pg.12-3). The gods think of humankind differently in the two societies. Noah was favored by God and when he was asked to build the boat, he knew that he and his family would survive (pg.13). When Gilgamesh was asked to build the boat, he was not promised his life. When he survived the flood, Enlil seemed angry that he had survived. I would venture to say that these stories do not seem to be derived from one or the other. They are very similar in nature, but the small, important details are very different. It is almost like two recollections, or sides, of the same event as if from two completely separated
In both works there is a Supreme being and a being that has come to the realization that the inhabitants of earth were wicked. Therefore, God in his infinite wisdom destroyed the earth with a flood. However, In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods influenced by Enlil were counseled to make the decision to destroy the earth. In the Hebrew Bible, the story of Noah was mentioned briefly detailing God’s punishment on all living creatures for their bitterness correlates in The Epic of Gilgamesh in several ways. Even though these literary works are passed on orally at contrasting times in history the correlations implore deliberation when these stories are compared. Numerous themes are illustrated throughout each story. Humans were found guilty of moral violation and were sentenced by God with flood as punishment to destroy this immoral behavior. An investigation of the inconsistency and similarities of both flood stories exposes the relationship between the Gods and the story’s hero, insight on each culture moral perspective on friendship and values as it applies to the flood, and each story’s common
The two great floods in both the Gilgamesh story and in the Hebrew Bible have many similarities and have many differences. In both stories the gods planned to destroy the Earth because they did not like the way that people were behaving and felt that they should be punished for their actions. Like the story of Noah in the Hebrew Bible, Utanapishtim was warned by a god that a great flood was coming and that he should build a boat to protect himself, his family and the animals (81). Both gods instructed the two men to build a boat in specific cubit measurements. After both floods they boats landed on the mountains and birds were used to find land. Although these two great flood stories have many similarities they also have a few differences. For instance, in the great flood in Genesis the length of the boat was 300 cubits, the width was 50 cubits and the height was 30 cubits. In Gilgamesh, the boat was ten dozen cubits in height and ten dozen cubits square (82). The two floods also did not last the same amount of time; the flood in Genesis lasted for 40 days and 40 nights whereas the flood in Gilgamesh only lasted for 6 days and 6 nights. The flood in Gilgamesh was not determined by just one God like in the story of Noah, but was determined by a group
There’s only a couple instances that make any real distinctions regarding the two stories. For example, both Gilgamesh and Noah are upstanding individuals that have no business sharing the same soil with the scum of the earth because they, unlike the scum, have found favor with the “Divine.” The gods/God (in the Hebrew there is one God, whereas in Gilgamesh there are multiple gods) promised to send a flood to cleanse the earth. but instructed both Noah and Gilgamesh to build a vessel which was to be their one-way ticket out of drowntown. The dimensions on their boats were considerably different. If Gilgamesh’s had more width to it, it would’ve been more rectangular like Noah’s. Noah got strung out at sea longer due to the
Many people know about the flood that happened in the Bible but are not aware that there was a flood before that, in the book Gilgamesh. The flood in the Bible occurred in 400 B.C. which was long after the flood in Gilgamesh which was written before 2000 B.C. There are many similarities and differences between these floods ranging from why the floods occurred to how the floods ended. These differences distinguish the biblical version from the ancient version. The characters in Gilgamesh resemble those of The Bible. This starts at the very beginning of the epic with Enkidu, who resembles Adam in many different ways.
Between the stories “Noah and the Flood” and the Epic Of GIlgamesh, there are a few important similarities. The first main similarity is the fact that the gods from both stories were mad at their people, and decided to exterminate mankind. In the Epic, Enlil’s naps were disturbed by how noisy the people were, whereas God in “Noah and the Flood” stated that his people were becoming wicked and he said he regretted making man on Earth. When the gods decided to wipe their people out, they both appointed one person to hold the fate of the Earth’s people. At this point, the gods realized they had to get all of the animals onto a boat (or ark) to float above the wretched waters that lie below. So, they gave their prophets very specific measurements for their boat/ark. After the flood the two had to know when the flooding and the storm were done, so they both got the idea to
In both, an inclemency rages and wipes out everyone and everything accept the passengers on board the ark. In the Gilgamesh story the gods cry and that engenders the incredibly destructive flood. “The great gods of heaven and hell wept” (“From Epic of Gilgamesh”26). The rains last for six days and six nights in the Gilgamesh version, and determinately when the waters receded the boat landed on Nisir “On the mountain of Nisir the boat held fast, she held fast and did not budge.”(From Epic of Gilgamesh”27). On that mountain of Nisir the boat strongly withheld for seven days. In the Genesis story God sends down the flood with his divine potency.” And on the seventh day the waters of the Flood came upon the earth.”(“Genesis 6-9” 46). The rain transpires for longer in the Genesis story than the Gilgamesh story. “The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.” (“Genesis 6-9” 46).as the waters receded it landed on Mt. Ararat. It is here for approximately two and a moiety months later until the other mountain tops surface. In both you have the same fundamental storyline, but as one can optically discern the more minuscule details are
What set these two stories apart the most is the reason for the floods ,in Gilgamesh the Gods reasons
In The Norton Anthology the stories The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis have many similarities. Most notably the flood scenes. The similarities include the flood being intended to wipe out mankind. A chosen hero is told to build a ship to survive the storm. The ship is loaded with animals of many species. The end of the flood is signaled by the release of birds. Both of the ships land on mountains where a sacrifice is made to deities. The heroes of each tale are blessed after the flood water recedes. These numerous similarities lead one to believe that Genesis is most likely the Hebrew adaptation of The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Perhaps you may be familiar with the flood story of Genesis but not the flood that occurs in the Epic of Gilgamesh. In both stories, a very important historical flood happens. Both share multiple differences and similarities while describing the flood in different ways. The Flood story in Genesis is way more believable. The world is more likely to flood if it rains forty days and forty nights than it raining for six days and six nights.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh and the novel Genesis, we are shown gods and the biblical God who both enforce their ideas of justice against those they deem wicked. This is depicted multiple times in both pieces of literature, the most notable being the floods unleashed by God in Genesis and the gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh. The punishments inflicted on humankind are similar because the deities in both texts share their own concept of justice, fueled by human emotion. Throughout both stories these omnipresent beings deal with humans in a somewhat callous way, sometimes showing compassion but mainly displaying their powers to punish humans.
The Epic of Gilgamesh and the flood presented in the Book of Genesis have striking similar features. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim was informed by Ea, god of wisdom, that there would be a global flood caused by Man’s sins. The flood was also intended for one city and all mankind. Utnapishtim built a square boat and allow his family members and all species of animals to climb aboard. After the flood continued for six days and six nights, he sent out a Dove, Swallow, and Raven to test to find land. On the seventh day, the ark docked at Mt. Nisir and he was blessed with eternal life.
Between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis from the Hebrew Bible, there are conspicuous similarities in their stories. First and foremost, these pieces of literature share an account of a world flood. In Tablet XI of the Epic of Gilgamesh the flood story is recounted, where Ea, a God of many chooses to divulge the disaster ahead to a male figure, Utanapishtim, although the flood sent by Enil is not meant to be survived by anyone. In some similarity, God favors Noah and provides him instructions of what to do for preparation of the flood. Utanapishtim is not told of the reason for the flood, meanwhile, God’s reason for the flood in Genesis was that the Lord saw the wickedness in the human race and because of that He “regretted having made the human on earth” (Puchner et al 163).
After I read the textbook about Epic of Gilgamesh and Holy Bible (old testament) about Genesis flood stories. Genesis was the first beginning time that God created the Earth and everything because God been there before Gilgamesh event but I am unsure about it. The similarities between Genesis and Epic of Gilgamesh were emotional, ark, and gods. While in Genesis time, God walked with Noah and he upset about the mans disobey his rules. Gilgamesh upset about his friend 's death then escape for his death then travel to meet Ut-Napishtim. They build the arks before flood came to destroy the mans. They are gods. The differences between Genesis and Epic of Gilgamesh were rain, shape of ark, and reaction from gods. Epic of Gilgamesh 's rain days was
One major similarity between the two dictations is the flood survivor and their general quest. In both stories the survivor is chosen by the gods or God, to survive the great flood. In Genesis this was Noah, in Gilgamesh this was Utnapishtim. Both characters were given very similar instructions to build a large ship, or Ark, and fill it with two of every known animal. Even after the flood, their
Not only were there similarities but there were differences. Gilgamesh worshiped many gods. One of the gods was named Enlil. He ended up flooding the earth due to frustration with humans. Utnapishtim, which later became a god, survived this. Gilgamesh wanted to know how to gain immortality. Though he was half god half human, he wanted more power. Utnapishtim then told him about a story of how he got his. He then gave Gilgamesh a quest to obtain his desire. Gilgamesh sadly ends up failing his quest, but his name becomes known after time passed.