“Gilgamesh” vs. The book of “Job”

“Gilgamesh” vs. The book of “Job”

By Derrick MillsBy Derrick Mills

Compare and Contrasting aspects of the laws proposed in

each tale through...

Introduction

• The significance of the journey in each text.

• The gains each character receives from his journey.

• Speech Patterns.

• The purpose and symbolism of the journey in each text, and the dialectic between home and travel that each text presents.

• The female characters complicate our own assumptions about ancient cultures?

• The representation of the central character in each of these texts contribute to the belief system constructed by each of these philosophies:

Introduction

Introduction

• Gilgamesh tells the story of a selfish king who is gifted with a lifetime of strength, wisdom and good looks. He is put to the test when he seeks immortality once his friend Enkidu dies on a adventure. Gilgamesh journey allows his selfishness to get the best of him, and when he doesn't use his wisdom it destroys his attempts at reaching immortality. The moral of story is that Gilgamesh realizes that he will not always live forever, so he must use wise and mature decisions to make life worth living.

The World of

Gilgamesh

Introduction

• The book of Job allows looks at another man who is the opposite of Gilgamesh and too see the different journey he endures. Job is a simple man who devotes his life to God by avoiding sin. One day he is forced under the challenge of God and Satan to be punished by God by the loss of his children, servants, and wealth. The grief that Job holds is almost unbearable but believing in God is the one thing that keeps him alive. His wife and three friends even convince him to curse against God but Job painfully enters a journey of his own to find out question towards his misfortunes. The book of Job’s morel allows Job to realize that God works in mysterious ways and the only cure for his behavior is to believe in him and things will work out.

The Story of Job

Comparing the aspects of laws proposed in each tale

Gilgamesh and Job both:

-Endure journey’s they did not intent to take.

-Loose love ones. Gilgamesh-Enkidu(best friend) Job-(children)

-Did not take the advice that was giving to them, Gilgamesh- ( did not listen to the people he ruled over) Job-(three friends Eliphaz, Buldad,and Zophar over his sins).

-Change in character at the end of the story, Gilgamesh ( learns he must use wise and mature decisions to make life worth living. Job (able to endue the will power of

not going against god during difficult times.)

-Wealthy, and have large families.

-Early works of Literature

Contrasting the aspects of laws proposed in each tale

Gilgamesh Job-Very selfish,

-Gilgamesh is a horrible leader and a bad example to his family and people.

-Gilgamesh will not gain Immortality through his journey but the knowledge of wisdom to perhapsextent the rest of his life.

-Not Selfish

-Job was a good leader to his family and lead good examples to his wife and children.

-Job will gain his life back with new children and double the wealth after his journey to find the truth of his misfortunes.

The significance of the Journey’s

Gilgamesh-Contrast

Gilgamesh-Gilgamesh is searching for immortality after his best friend Enkidu dies during an adventure together. Gilgamesh searches for immortality because he does not want to die like his best friend Enkidu. The adventure Gilgamesh takes for immortality is the story of a selfish king that fights for more power. Selfishness is his major failure throughout his quest but because he endures this quest he ends up leaning values and skills that allow himself to mature and become the king that his people deserve.

What Gilgamesh gains from his Journey?

Gilgamesh fails several tests that prevent him from obtaining immortality and because of this he realizes that he will not always live

forever so he must use wise and mature decisions to make life worth living

The significance of the Journey’s

Job-Contrast

Job- Job is a wealthy man and owns a lot of land. He has a beautiful family, wife and children and avoids evil at all cost. One day Satan bets God that if he curses Job that he will turn and curse against him because he believes Job avoids evil from the blessing he received from God. The first day he receives that his livestock,children, and servants have all died from invaders. Next he receives painful skin soars that make him wish he was even born. Job does mourn from his losses and is put into hard circumstances were his wife, and three friends, Eliphaz, Buldad, and Zophar try and convince him to curse against god throughout his difficult journey. Job grows increasingly patient by how his life is turning out to be until he runs in to another friend named Elihu. Elihu tells Job that god communicates with people on earth by vision or physical pain, and what Job has endure is just a sign from god for his love and from job to be suffering from this is an act of rebellion against god. God will speak to Job and ask several question about creation and pleases God from his responses that he grants Job with more wealth and healthy new children. Jobs journey showed God and everyone around him not to listen to friends, stand strong, and to endure hardships for what you believe in.

What Job gains from his Journey?

Job’s Journey shows that you can have hope even if everything you love is gone because as long as

you believe in God there is always hope.

Speech Patterns:Gilgamesh was directed towards the Assyrian people about 2700 years ago in (Present day Iraq) This kingdom laid in the middle of the Tigris river in Mesopotamia and was ahead of it’s time with technology and education which is why the story of Gilgamesh is one of the first pieces of Literature. The original language was written on three clay scrips know as cuneiform.

The world of Gilgamesh

Speech Patterns:Job: Is in the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible and was directed towards the hebrews or any new followers. The book was written to show followers that god shows his love in mysterious ways even to fateful believers like Job. The language was written in Hebrew.

Home vs. Outside of Home Gilgamesh

Home: Outside Home:

Gilgamesh was to self centered over power and cared more about his legacy for becoming a strong and powerful leader for his Uruk people.

Gilgamesh spent most of his time on adventures trips to prove his strength and warrior like skills with his friend Enkidu. Outside of his home is where he obtained his obsession with becoming immortal after Enkidu died. Gilgamesh will fail at any test granted to him to prove immortal.

Home vs. Outside of Home

Job

Home:Outside Home:

Job at home was a fun loving family man who was wealth and loved his family. He was confident and believed in God to where he would do anything to prevent sin.

Job was very confused, asked many questions and advice to his friends. Job did not know why he was enduring so much hardship. Job was also loosing faith but even with his faith towards god got very thin he was able to bounce back and accept his sign from God as a form of love

Female Characters in ancient culture:

Gilgamesh: The women in Gilgamesh are very well educated and have a lot of power. There is two in particular women that come to mind in the Epic Journey of Gilgamesh. The first women is Priestess Shamhat who was sent into the forest to control Enkidu because of the threat he posses to the civilization. The only way to make Enkidu a man was through sex with Priestress. Priestress was successful in converting Enkidu into a man that helped reduce the threat towards the Uruk people from the wild beasts of the forest. The second women was Shiduri, the tavern keeper. After Gilgamesh witnessed his best friend Enkidu die he seeks to the person who can turn him immortal. Along the was he runs into Shiduri that shares with Gilgamesh some words of wisdom that suggests he should enjoy the life he still has and to try and make the best of it. Gilgamesh will pay no attention to this which will deny him from immortal life once he reaches the end of his journey.

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Priestess Shamhat

Female Characters in ancient culture:

The book of Job

Job: Wife Nahrela, was not supportive of Job refusing to curse God for the hardship he has left their family. Nahrela seems to distance herself from her husband throughout his difficult times. Nahrela was obviously mad at Job because she had lost her ten children and it could have been her husbands fault for sinning. Nahrela dose not understand what is going on but will forgive Job for not cursing God because she did not realize that God was testing her husband.

Job’s wife Nahrela

The representation of the central character in each of

these texts.

Gilgamesh: The belief system that the philosopher is trying to make out of Gilgamesh is to just be a decent human being no matter how much power you may hold. Gilgamesh was ruler of the Uruk people, had women, children, wisdom, and good looks. Gilgamesh had it all but still took advantage by seeking more. When Gilgamesh best friends Enkidu dies on an adventure,Immortality seems to be the final solution towards power. The conclusion that the philosopher leaves to the reader on his beliefs that a powerful king may buy everything except time, and if you don’t use your time wisely then life is not worth living.

The representation of the central character in each of

these texts.Job: The belief system that the philosopher is trying to make out in the book of Job is to stay with the idea you believe in even if the people who love you turn their backs on it. Job was a simple man who believed in God which is why he never sinned. Job had it all, much like Gilgamesh but was thankful for everything he was giving with the exception of the loss from his children, servants, and land for no apparent reason. Job takes a journey trying to find himself answers on why God has punished him and finds out the strength he has for believing in God answers all of his questions.

How effective are stories as teaching tools:

Gilgamesh: I think the Epic Gilgamesh story is an effective story telling device for social and moral aspects. Gilgamesh shows that know one can cheat their own death by being immortal. We only have so long to live and within that life span we must make the best of it and not regret or run away from death, we must except the truth. I think the story is effective in getting the morel message across. It shows that a man like Gilgamesh, someone who has it all, good looks, intelligence,powerful still is afraid of death because he knows of the selfish lifestyle he has lived throughout his life. I think the hazards of telling this story involves women having to much power. I do not think there is nothing wrong with this idea I just think It could of had problems when teaching children in the B.C. era because women were always below the men in social classes in which men were superior. Teaching a story where women were very wise and superior could have allowed women to think that they could be above men, possibly resulting in conflict.

How effective are stories as teaching tools:

Job: I think the book of Job is an effective story telling device for social and moral aspects. Job shows that he is a religious man without sin but seems to be punished by God through the death of his children, servants, and livestock. Job endures crucial pressure by his wife and three friends to curse God for the pain he has put upon him and his family. Job shows the reader that he suffered pain and peer pressure from his loved ones but was able to look beyond the hatred and seek forgiveness from God through Job’s powerful faith. At the end of the book I find the morel story that is learned from Job and God. We get punished by God not because of anything we do personally but what wrong all humanity does together. Humanity on earth works as a team and if one person causes sin everyone else is effected some way or another. I think the hazards of telling this story is it could scare people reading the book of Job and maybe think of God as being mean by playing games with Job. It shows that you could sin and it would be alright because you will get punished regardless. For example, Job never committed sins and carried on pure love for his family and still had to endue pain and suffering for his faith.

In conclusion:

Compare and Contrasting aspects of the laws proposed in each tale through...

The significance of the journey in each text.

The gains each character receives from his journey.

Speech Patterns.

The purpose and symbolism of the journey in each text, and the dialectic between home and travel that each text presents.

The female characters complicate our own assumptions about ancient cultures?

The representation of the central character in each of these texts contribute to the belief system constructed by each of these philosophies.

The topics I wrote about is the tale of Gilgamesh and the book of Job. I wrote about two of these famous text literatures because I want to learn more about both of these famous

writings. In my paper I have included...

In conclusion: Both of these stories are very inspiring to me which is why I

want to learn more about these stories. The story of

Gilgamesh has taught me to concentrate more on wisdom and less on selfishness and

power, because you only live once and there is only so little time to live your life. The book of Job’s has allowed myself to re-think what I believe in and question my own will power if I was put into these situation. The stories of Gilgamesh and Job are very inspiring to me

and was glad I was able to do my presentation on these

famous literature legends.

Work Cited-Information

• Benjamin, Foster. The Norton Anthology World Literature, Gilgamesh. New York NY: Norton&Company, 2009. Print.

• Old Testament. The Norton Anthology World Literature, From Job. New York NY: Norton&Company, 2009. Print.

• http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/gilgamesh/

• http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab1.htm

Work Cited-Graphics(Job)

• http://agapegeek.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/job-theodicy_on_trial.jpg

• http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xyFKR8lJf8w/T3oe-t_YxFI/AAAAAAAAADk/_W0EP2_ZP68/s1600/seghersjob.jpg

• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cgUbAuswl1s/UPNukqzMTsI/AAAAAAAAFPM/7tvEjGz7v7M/s1600/book-of-job.jpg

• http://theupsidedownworld.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/daughters.jpg

• http://absentofi.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Book-of-Job.jpg

• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3N0H9dqhgc/T6n3XPVeCdI/AAAAAAAAApk/joQXb_QZ3JA/s1600/job_1.gif

• http://hebrewbible.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/job-wife.jpg

• http://www.gaychristian101.com/images/when-was-the-book-of-job-written-21503303.jpg

• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mjj4tpdi3Sw/TgltklggRuI/AAAAAAAAABI/zHRt_JVtmx8/s1600/Blake+s+Illustration+of+the+Book+of+JOB+Plate+14.jpg

• http://agapegeek.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/bible-page-job1.jpg

Work Cited-Graphics (Gilgamesh)

• http://www.ducksters.com/history/mesopotamia/gilgamesh_outlined_sm.jpg

• http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5EH9pNJQLsQ/ToSHw0Q9NvI/AAAAAAAAA3k/2JJM2TOhOaI/s1600/Gigamesh_mourns_Enkidu.jpg

• http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QMaGe1P9FVg/URbA1lyHCqI/AAAAAAAAL9I/rdr2kO5Vx5Y/gk_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800

• http://www.jasoncolavito.com/uploads/3/7/5/9/3759274/5072245_orig.png

• http://www.neh.gov/files/humanities/articles/2012_0708_images_35a_gilgamesh.jpg

• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yfPjMgjMU8A/TGLOJ39lFeI/AAAAAAAACTQ/3HXuzump9LM/s1600/gilgamesh.jpg

• http://www.neildalrymple.com/assets/gilgamesh/600-Gilgamesh%201.jpg

• http://www.clt.astate.edu/wnarey/Religious%20Studies%20Program/603gilgamesh.gif

• http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sunrise/49-99-0/49-99-0-mi-wtst-gilenk.jpg

• http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/media/gilgamesh/read_text_image_03.jpg

• http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/media/gilgamesh/slideshow/10_lg.jpg

• http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ron_parodi/gilgamesh/gilgamesh07.jpg