Flood in Gilgamesh Vs Flood in Genesis
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English 2311
20 February 2017
The fall in the Hebrew Bible and Enkidu can be compared just as the Flood of Gilgamesh and the Flood in the Bible. There are many similar aspects in both stories further proving that they are linked together in some way.
Let’s start with the men, Enkidu and Adam. Adam was created, by God, from the Earth and lived with the animals in the Garden of Eden. Enkidu was created by the goddess of creation, Aruru, by clay and lived amongst the animals in the wilderness. Neither one had a mother or father. Both men roamed naked in their habitat. Eve is made from Adam’s rib, while Shamhat comes to the wilderness to find Enkidu. Eve is naked as well; however, Shamhat takes her clothes off once she has arrived to the wilderness. When Adam eats the forbidden fruit, his eyes are opened and he is no longer innocent to the wickedness of the world and he becomes ashamed of his nakedness. Enkidu lays with Shamhat, which can also be compared to as the “forbidden fruit”, and his eyes are opened to mankind. He is not ashamed of his naked state and he wants to explore his humanness and be civilized. God was outraged that Adam ate the forbidden fruit and kicks him out of the Garden of Eden. Enkidu is not kicked out of the wilderness, but the gazelles reject him because he layed with a woman. Shamhat persuades him to leave with her and become civilized.
Eve and Shamhat could be compared as well. God told Eve to be fruitful and multiply with Adam. Shamhat was ordered by Gilgamesh to lay with Enkidu. Adam and Eve had two children, Cain and Abel. It is not mentioned in the book if Enkidu and Shamhat had any children. Adam blamed Eve for giving him the forbidden fruit while Enkidu did not blame Shamhat for being rejected by the animals in the wilderness. He wanted to go with her and learn to be human. He learned how to dress himself and eat.