Name: Marjorie Princess C.

Abulog Date: June 06, 2023

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Creations Stories & Myths
Book of Genesis and Epic of Gilgamesh

Criteria Book of Genesis Epic of Gilgamesh

Setting
Time around 2000-1500 BC. between 1800-1600 BCE

Place ancient Near East, which Sumerian city of Uruk

includes parts of modern-day
Iraq, Turkey, and Egypt

Cultural beliefs in multiple gods, A King ruling a country.

Environment ancestor worship, and
Men engaging in war ruled by
polytheism
a King.
Women or wives stay at home
reflects the patriarchal doing house chores.
structure of society at the time
with men having authority over
women and children

Characterization

Main The main character of the book Gilgamesh, a proud and

Character of Genesis is God. He is arrogant ruler who believes
(Protagonist) portrayed as a powerful and himself as invincible.
loving creator who interacts
with humanity in various ways
throughout the book. Other
major characters include Adam,
Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and Joseph.

Antagonist The main antagonist in the Ishtar, represents the dangers

book of Genesis is Satan, who
tempts Adam and Eve to
disobey God. Other antagonists
throughout the book include
Pharaoh, Laban, and various
other enemies of God's chosen
people.
of unchecked desire, as she
uses her power to try to
seduce Gilgamesh and punish
those who reject her
advances.

Plot The plot of the book of Genesis The Epic of Gilgamesh follows
is focused on God's relationship the adventures of the king
 with humanity. It starts with
the creation of the world and
then follows God's interactions
with Adam and Eve, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. It
culminates in a story about
how God provides for his
chosen people even in difficult
times.
Theme  Faith
 Obedience
 Redemption
 Family Relationships
 Divine Justice
 God’s Sovereignty over all
creation
Lesson The book of Genesis teaches us
lessons about faith, obedience
to God's commands, and
trusting in his promises. It also
emphasizes the importance of
(Gilgamesh) as he battles
monsters, seeks wisdom, and
ultimately confronts his own
mortality. Along the way, he
forms a deep bond with
Enkidu, a wild man created by
the gods to challenge
Gilgamesh's arrogance.
Together, Gilgamesh and
Enkidu embark on a series of
epic quests, including a
journey to the Cedar Forest to
slay the demon Humbaba and
a descent into the underworld
in search of eternal life.
However, despite their many
triumphs, they are ultimately
unable to escape the fate that
awaits all mortals, death.
 Mortality, as Gilgamesh
and Enkidu confront the
inevitability of death and
strive to find a way to
escape it.
 Friendship, the bond
between Gilgamesh and
Enkidu is tested and
strengthened over the
course of the story.
 The search for meaning,
as Gilgamesh seeks
wisdom and
understanding in his quest
for immortality, and the
dangers of unchecked
desire, as Ishtar's lust
leads to tragedy and
suffering.
The moral lesson of the Epic
of Gilgamesh is that life is
fleeting and that accepting
one's mortality is essential for
living a fulfilling life. It also
 family relationships and how
God will ultimately provide for
his chosen people.
Literary Devices Symbolism:
From the tree of knowledge to
the rainbow, these symbols are
woven throughout the text and
offer a window into the spiritual
and moral dimensions of the
story.
For example, the tree of
knowledge represents the
forbidden fruit that Adam and
Eve ate, leading to their
expulsion from the Garden of
Eden. This symbolizes the
human desire for knowledge
and the consequences of
disobedience. Similarly, the
rainbow symbolizes God's
promise to never again destroy
the world with a flood,
representing hope and
redemption amidst the
darkness and chaos of the
world.
Foreshadowing:
Another important literary
device in Genesis is
foreshadowing, which hints at
future events and themes
through subtle clues and hints.
By using foreshadowing, the
author creates a sense of
anticipation and mystery,
drawing the reader deeper into
the story.
For example, Joseph's dreams
about his family bowing down
to him foreshadow his eventual
emphasizes the importance of
friendship and loyalty, as well
as the consequences of one's
actions.
Imagery: For example, when
describing the Cedar Forest,
the author writes: 'Its shade
was good; it was the home of
the gods.
The description of Enkidu. He
is described as having 'hair
like a woman's, long and
flowing,' which creates an
image of a wild and untamed
man who is in touch with
nature.
Symbolism: The Cedar
Forest, which represents a
place of great power and
danger. It could be also a
symbol of the unknown and
the mysterious.
The use of the serpent as a
symbol of wisdom. When
Gilgamesh meets the serpent,
it tells him that he will never
find immortality, but that he
should enjoy life while he can.
This is symbolic of the idea
that wisdom comes from
accepting one's mortality.
Metaphor: When Gilgamesh
is mourning the death of
Enkidu, he describes his grief
as 'a lioness that has lost her
cubs.' This metaphor helps to
convey the depth of his
sorrow.
rise to power in Egypt, while the
prophecy of the Messiah
foreshadows the coming of
Jesus Christ. Through careful
analysis of these instances of
foreshadowing, we can gain a
deeper understanding of the
larger narrative arc of the book.
Irony:
Irony is another powerful
literary device used in Genesis
to create tension and
complexity in the story. By
using irony, the author
highlights the gap between
appearance and reality,
challenging our assumptions
and expectations.
For example, the deception of
Isaac by Jacob and Rebekah is
a classic example of dramatic
irony, as the audience knows
what is happening while the
characters do not. Similarly, the
selling of Joseph into slavery by
his own brothers is a tragic
irony, as the very act meant to
harm him ultimately leads to
his redemption and success in
Egypt.
Parallelism:
Finally, Genesis makes
extensive use of parallelism, a
literary device in which similar
events or themes are repeated
with variations throughout the
text. By using parallelism, the
author creates a sense of
rhythm and symmetry, and
emphasizes the key themes and
When Enkidu is described as
being 'as strong as a rock.'
This metaphor helps to create
an image of a powerful and
unyielding man.
Foreshadowing:
The Epic of Gilgamesh makes
use of foreshadowing to build
suspense and tension
throughout the story. For
example, when Enkidu has a
prophetic dream about his
own death, it creates a sense
of foreboding that carries
through to the end of the epic.
Through its use of
foreshadowing, the epic is able
to keep readers engaged and
invested in the story, even as
they anticipate what is to
come.
Repetition:
During Gilgamesh and
Enkidu’s journey to slay
Humbaba, the phrase, “[At
twenty] leagues they broke
bread, / [at] thirty leagues
they pitched camp: / [fifty]
leagues they travelled in the
course of a day,” is repeated
many times. This passage
describes Gilgamesh’s
physical journey by how far
he’s traveled, which parallels
the progress he has made on
his mental and spiritual
journey at this point.
messages of the story.
For example, the creation story
and the story of Noah's ark are
both structured as parallel
narratives, with similar
patterns of chaos, order, and
redemption. Through careful
analysis of these parallel
narratives, we can gain a
deeper appreciation for the
larger themes and messages of
the book.