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The Flood Stories The Validity Debate Continues
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, it articulates how, For six days and six nights the winds blew, torrent and tempest and flood overwhelmed the world, tempest and flood raged together like warring hosts (Sandars 111). Alternatively, in the Old Testament, it says, All the fountains of the great deep [were] broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened . . . And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased; . . . and the ark went upon the face of the waters.(Holy Bible, Genesis 711b, 17a, 18b). In addition, the story of the Flood in Metamorphoses elaborates on the fact that, Neptune called his river all, and told them, very briefly, to lose their violence, open their houses […] His trident struck the shuddering earth; it opened the way for the rush of waters (Humphries 11). Which flood story should readers confide in with validity? Better yet, which flood story is the refinement of the other? Many critics settle on the work of literature that best explains how, when and why the flood occurred.
Would it be justified to classify these poetic writings in terms of accurateness and irregularity?
The three works of written documentation in the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Old Testament, and Metamorphoses detail a flood story with resemblance and dissimilarity. Nevertheless, one work should not be judged by what it is lacking in information to the other works of literature. For example, it is quite clear that the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Metamorphoses is a more elaborated diction of the Flood than in the Old Testament. All three books should not be distinguished as the originator and the secondary enhancement! One should take all three books as contrasting forms of linguistic translations that compliment the same flood story, with minor discrepancies. The disagreement lies not in diction, the state of confusion lies at the root of cultural diversity and historical background of all three works.
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Culturalism is defined by the shaped beliefs that are enculturated by the norms of society through political representation. The moldings of a culture involve race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language and spiritual inclination. The main differences in the translation of the Flood in all three books is due to the religious disproportions involved. The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Old Testament, and Metamorphoses differ in language, custom and traditions. For example, the divine nature of Gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Metamorphoses conflict with the monotheistic beliefs of the Hebrews, Middle Easterners and Romans.
The actual literature to this day is missing miniscule detailed evidence of the flood. However, the findings of the Assyrian Tablets (Babylonian writings) still is able to detail the Flood in its slightest entirety. The Flood analysis, as depicted in the Epic of Gilgamesh, originates from the Sumerian Dynastic Age. Five city states primarily functioned before the kingship were let down from the heavens to rule over mankind. Using the mythological settings of the Archaic Sumerian civilization, the Gods were the permanent replacements of mortals on the throne of the city states. Thus, the goal of mortals in the South Persian Gulf of Mesopotamia was to reach immortality. However, the God Enlils moral reasoning for the flood was that the uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel (Sandars 108). Therefore, the cultural background of the monotheistic Hebrews of the Old Testament and the Babylonian culture seem to agree on one front, that the wickedness of man had taken over earth. Consequently, mankind needed to be exterminated, due to the increased chaotic vibe of the times.
The symbolism of the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament share uniformity in the idea to build a boat. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Ea warns, Reed-house […] O man of Shurrupak, son of Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save your soul alive. In the Old Testament, Noah is also asked by God to build a boat as well, in hopes of being blessed by God and being rewarded with earths flesh as meat for Noah and his family. This is illustrated in Genesis chapter nine, when God says to Noah, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air […] Everything that lives and moves will be food for you (Book Of Genesis1-4). The thought of rejuvenating ones life in a more positive direction, fleeing ones gratification from materialistic goals and filling ones mind with spiritual blessings is encouraged in both stories.
However, the difference of cultural motives in both stories clash to change the main purpose of the building of the boat and conclusion as well. The Babylonian cultures reward was the gift of immortality and rather self absorbed in comparison to the Hebrew cultures selfless reward of eternal life and blessings for all mankind. The monotheistic God in the Old Testament seemed to be more grateful then the Gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh. For example in the Old Testament, the Lord says, Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth (Book of Genesis11). Conversely, Enlil behaves like a spoiled child who feels he or she is so special, that everything should go his or her way! Enlil notes Has any of these mortals escaped? Not one was to have survived the destruction (Sandars 11). The sweet-voiced Queen of Heaven complains, Alas the days of old are turned to dust because I commanded evil; why did I command this evil […] I commanded wars to destroy the people, but are they not my people, for I brought them forth? Now like the spawn of fish they float by the ocean (Sandars 110). How can this unappreciative Queen of heaven, dare to weep about the destruction of mankind, when she was the instigator of the whole mess in the first place! The divine Gods seem like timid ingrates that yield satisfaction for inspiration. In order to analyze the humble and understanding God in the Old Testament, in sharp contrast to the Divine Gods of Gilgamesh, one must first seek the historical inspiration of both Gods.
Lets compare the mythology of the divine Gods to the ritual and religion of the monotheistic God. The locality of the flood events in the Epic of Gilgamesh was set around Mesopotamia. The Western psycho-analysis framework may have influenced the story of the Flood in Gilgamesh, since westernization influences rather wide ranging terms such as art, literature, drama, psychology, medicine, astronomy and astrology, and film, among others (New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN Broadman 10). One aspect of spiritualism that Mesopotamian and the Babylonian culture were denied of, was a stable covenant with the divinity of Gods. The lack of grace, peace and faith in a promised plan, perhaps lead to insecurity and inner struggles within thyself. Thus, the lack of gratitude and humility of the Gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh compliments their lack of a concrete belief. However, the Hebrew culture stresses gratitude, fear and humility, since God has already promised his people a futuristic plan to be established in due time. The Book of Revelations promotes this when it states, Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come…. Thus meaning, Jesus Christ is to come to save his people from their sinful nature and into the heavens, were their fruitful blessings will be offered to them.(Revelations 1)
Where did man originate? When was the time and existence of the flood? Who or what was the artist that drew the world then and now? The divine myths of Ovids work of literature, Metamorphoses is similar to the Epic of Gilgamesh, in that both works implement the structuring of space equals emphasis. Both works represent beautiful poems that explain the questions of the flood in elaborated detail. Many would criticize the Old Testaments explaining of the flood for being to simplistic, systematic and organized. In spite of this, let us not cease to forget that the account of the flood in the Old Testamant was written probably around 1500 B.C. While Ovids, Metamorphoses was written somewhere between 8 and 17 A.D. The Old Testament is written plainly, since the monotheistic God of the Hebrews had already formed a rock solid covenant with his descendants as of today. While the Book of Metamorphoses struggles to find some form of validity in persuading the reader that the divine Gods had something to do with the flood. The Bible states that it takes the Hebrew God six days to complete his creation while there is no specific time frame for creation in Ovids writing of the flood. The Old Testaments description of the completion of creation takes thirty-one verses of Hebrew monotheism, while the Book of Metamorphoses intricately details the creation story in seven stanzas, a poetic compilation of eighty lines (The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Maynard Mack. New York Norton 187, pg 54-560.).
The inaptness in intricate detailing is evident in both the Old Testament and the Book of Metamorphoses. The Norton Anthology illustrates this in Ovids, holds up, holds in the land, while, in Genesis, the land {separates} the waters from the waters (54; 1). Ironically, Ovids Metamorphoses seems to rush the creation of the world by stating that the air,land, light and water form at one instance, when God, or kindlier Nature, [settles all](The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Maynard Mack. New York Norton 187, pg 54-560.). Take note that the Book of Genesis states, In the beginning God {creates} the heavens and the earth. Light, vegetation, land, stars, moon, fish, animals and man are created on separate days.
However, there are also similarities between both stories that help continue to withstand the test of time. In both accounts, each describe a shapelessness and the earth being formless and void ((The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Maynard Mack. New York Norton 187, pg 54-560, Book of Genesis 1). In addition there is no sun to light the universe, (Ovid 54) so darkness over the surface of the deep {Genesis 1).However, the more opinionated version of the Book of Metamorphoses carries no detail on the time frame of the flood in its entirety. In the Book of Genesis, it rains for forty days and forty nights (71). The more concrete version of the flood in the Old Testament is illustrated in the way the prevailing rain is described. In the Book of Genesis, it states, the water {prevails} upon the earth for one hundred and fifty days (74).
Although the Book of Genesis efficiently details the periodic time frame for the creation and the flood, the difference of descriptiveness from the Old Testament andMetamorphoses becomes evident. The Book of Genesis notes The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth […] Every living thing that moved on earth perished-birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind […] Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark (718-). In contrast, Humphries translation of Ovids Metamorphose notes The leaping rivers flood over the great plains. Not only orchards are swept away, not only grain and cattle […] Some poor fellow seizes a hill-top […] Someone catches Fish in the top of an elm tree, or an anchor drags in green meadow-land […] the dolphins invade the woods and brushes against the oak trees….etc It is obvious that Metamorphoses openly forces the reader to imagine and visualize the Flood story. The use of active prose and sensory linguistics in Metamorphoses shows the persuasive and intricate detailing of Metamorphoses. The more established, time -detailed and stable analysis of the Book of Genesis differentiates from the showy display of the Book of Metamorphoses, that goes out of reach to achieve the confidence of its readers.
The conclusive detailing of the Old Testament and the Book of Metamorphoses are similar in wide contrast to the Epic of Gilgamesh. The divine gods in the Gilgamesh seem rattled by the destruction of the flood. Thus, they concluded the flood scenes with bitter and revengeful hearts. However, in the Book of Metamorphoses, Deucalion and Pyrrha, the two survivors, throw stones that seem to remake mankind in a new world order. The stones of Deucalion, reborn man and the stones Pyrrha ( Deucalions wife, cousin, partner) throws, rekindle the making of women. In chapter nine, verse one to seven in the Book of Genesis, it describes how the earth is populated by Noah, his wife, Shem, Ham, and Japeth in retrospect to the flood. The Norton Anthology of Ovids Metamorphoses describes how the animals of the earth form, evolutionize, from water and heat amongst the mud (55) .In the Book of Genesis, chapter eight verse seventeen, the earth begins to repopulate themselves. Hence, in wide contrast to the Epic of Gilgamesh, one family is chosen to continue the existence of the human race. The monotheistic God of the Hebrews chooses Noah and his family, while the deities of Metamorphoses chooses Deucalion and Pyrrha. Although there are differences in the way the conclusive details of the flood are told, both the Book of Metamorphoses and the Old Testament emphasize how disobedience from God or gods sent forth a flood to destroy mankind. Thus, both accounts describe the actualization of the society to worship and show reverence to the God, or deity gods in ultimate control.
All three works that describe the flood share similarities and differences in detailing the events that take place. They differentiate on the varied messages they place emphasis on. The main distinction have to do with spiritual diversity between distinct cultures. It is because of these variations in writing and technique, that each of these poems have acquired and maintained the respect they truly deserve through years of evaluation and criticism. Lets take each account for what its worth and not what it lacks!
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