The Epic of Gilgamesh vs. the Biblical Flood Story Essay

September 4, 2011 Period 2 Comparative Essay In the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ and ‘The Biblical Flood Story’ have a very similar plot line, but many several key differences. In both stories a flood occurs, which were caused by the God/s( This shows that in Gilgamesh they were polytheistic while in the Biblical version they were monotheistic. ) to destroy the people of the earth. For both flood stories, a specific person is chosen to build an arc but for different reasons. In the Biblical story, Noah builds the arc due to his righteous character but in Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim built the arc to save himself. Later on in both stories birds are released making them seem very similar. In the end, the stories are separated because of the covenants†¦show more content†¦For both stories a specific person was picked out to survive the flood by building an arc but the Gods went about it in different ways. In the Biblical Flood story, once the forty days of flooding had finally come to a stop , Noah opened the window and released a bird. The first bird released was a raven. The second was a dove. Now in the story of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim set free a dove first. The second bird released was a swallow and last was a raven. In both stories the bird were released to find out when the water had receded. They both conclude their evidence in different ways and the order of the release of the birds is opposite. God said to Noah, â€Å"And I behold, I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you; and with every living creature with you. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth.† That’s when God made an everlasting covenant between himself and every living creature of all flesh on earth. Even though, in the story of Gilgamesh, the Gods decided that it was wrong to punish mankind, they still did not make a covenant with ma n. Instead of making a pact with humans they granted immorality to Utnapishtim and his wife. In both stories they settled the flood in different ways separating the stories. Even though the stories are similar in many aspects they have several keyShow MoreRelatedEssay on Gilgamesh vs. Genesis1436 Words   |  6 PagesGilgamesh vs. Genesis In our society, which is overwhelmingly Judeo-Christian, students often find it difficult to compare Bible stories with tales from other cultures, because our own belief system is wrapped up in the prior, and it is hard for many of us to go against our traditional faith to evaluate them objectively. But in a comparison of the Biblical book of Genesis with the ancient Sumerian text, Epic of Gilgamesh, many parallels suggest that the same type of spiritualRead MoreBiblical Vs. Classical Phenomenon2078 Words   |  9 PagesBiblical vs. Classical Phenomenon Throughout the semester, we have analyzed various texts that constitute some of the most important publications in the history of humankind. These myths and legends are known as the oldest in centuries and possibly the first sight of written text that humans have encountered. Dating back to the times of traditional oral-based stories, texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh have given humankind a sense of emergence in the old times of script and literature. The Epic