Gilgamesh vs. Christianity

The story of Gilgamesh originates from twelve fire-hardened, mud tablets, written in cuneiform, in the Mesopotamian culture from around 2500 B.C.E. It has been passed down through generations for centuries, teaching obedience to gods. The story of Noah?s Ark, found in the Old Testament, seems to do the same thing; teach the importance of

Both sagas start with the earth being extremely populated, with no foreseen

break in the continuation of a booming culture. The earth was too full. People

were rowdy and reckless. Crime was widespread and grew day to day. These

heretical activities would not be tolerated for long; the flood is now scheduled to

arrive soon. Noah?s story creates the theme that the flood was sent because the earth had

become corrupt and filled with violence, (Genesis, 6). The only way to destroy this viole

nce was to drown everyone but the chosen few. These chosen few were hand-picked by God as good people to start a new, more wholesome and obedient civilization. Gilgamesh?s story says the reason for the flood was the volume the people created. The noise was intolerable and the gods insisted on ending the racket at once (Gilgamesh). The only reason Gilgamesh was spared is that he was informed of the flood by Ea, the water god, through a dream. Ea was one of many gods in this time. He told him to build a boat of equal width and length. He was to tear down his house for wood and tell the curious townspeople that he was instructed to leave the city and go out to sea so as to please the gods. Ea also instructed him to take the seeds of life onto the ship with him. Meaning two of each animal, enough food for them and his family to eat for some time, and whatever grain was left over would be planted once the water receded, (Epic of Gilgamesh).

This is a huge difference between the stories. The craftsmen were an added group that reproduced and passed on their skills. Noah only took his family, relying on God to provide them with the necessary items that they could not produce. There were not any other people on board. Therefore, the corruption of this world is thought to come from one of Noah?s sons, descending down through him. If Gilgamesh brought craftsmen on the boat, this is a new place to lay the blame for today?s violence. The next discrepancy lies in the amount of time it rained. Noah?s story emphasized rain f

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