Comparison Between Gilgamesh and Genesis
             There are many similarities between the epic Gilgamesh and the biblical story of Genesis. Some similarities between the two stories are the creation of man, the similarity between the relationships of Enkidu and Shamhat and Adam and Eve, and the story of the great flood. These similarities are so important because to shows that these two stories could actually be one in the same. Since Gilgamesh is the older of the two stories, Genesis could possibly be a re-visioning of the epic Gilgamesh to help Christians become a more predominant group.
             One of the similarities to support this is the two stories is the creation of man. In Gilgamesh Arura creates Enkidu out of a pinch of clay. "Aruru washed her hands, pinched off clay and threw it into the wilderness" (Gardner - Maier 68). This creation of Enkidu is very similar to the creation of Adam in Another Account of Creation in Genesis. In Genesis, Adam was created from dust of the ground. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground" (Kellogg- Dennis 17). So, Enkidu and Adam were both men and were both created from the earth. This similarity helps show that these two stories are possibly the same.
             Another similarity between Gilgamesh and Genesis is between the stories of Enkidu and Shamhat and Adam and Eve. After Enkidu's first marathon sex session with Shamhat, he becomes removed from the natural world. The herd rejects him because he has lost his innocence. "Seeing him, Enkidu, the gazelles scattered, wheeling: the beasts of the wilderness fled his body" (Gardner - Maier 77). In exchange, Enkidu is given the blessing of civilized man. Like Adam before the fall to earth, Enkidu is also innocent. And once again like Adam he is persuaded into sin by women. Enkidu looses his innocence because of sexual desire, and this is also why Adam eats from the tree of knowledge. "S...