Perhaps what makes Gilgamesh and the Story of Job such
powerful human stories is their portrayal of something that we all experience
at some point in our life: Suffering.
Whether it be physical or mental suffering, both tales paint remarkable
stories of how human strength can overcome the obstacles that man faces. One of the questions that is worth asking is “what
is the difference between pain and suffering?”
My initial impressions would be that suffering is the response one has
to pain, emotional or physical, and pain is the physiological response to
illness or injury. These are minor
differentiations, but they’re distinct
.
Job and Gilgamesh both are stories of suffering. Job tells the story of a man who is thrown
under the wrath of the devil. He starts
out a wealthy man, but as his suffering becomes more intense, he loses
everything important to him. Undergoing
immense physical pain, his suffering is both mental and physical. Despite this, his story is one of
resilience. He remains loyal to his
beliefs and commits himself to remaining strong through his struggle. The story of Gilgamesh is similar to that of
Job. Starting off with a nearly perfect
life, he begins to ponder his own mortality when his friend Enkidu dies. With this suffering from his friends death,
he channels this into his quest to find immortality.
These stories tell us two components about resilience and
suffering. The main message that the
story of Job portrays is that suffering can be overcome through determination
and positive thinking. By remaining
loyal to one’s beliefs, one can overcome immense pain and suffering in the
pursuit of an ethical code. This is what
drives much of the “never leave a man behind” mantra of militaries around the
world. Soldiers treat their commrads as
brothers because they need them and because they know their strength. The other message that can be learned from
these stories is that strength and drive can be found in pursuit of a
purpose. When one has a purpose and
mission in mind, this focus can unlock a massive amount of strength.
Evan,
ReplyDeleteI really like what you said about the difference between pain and suffering. I have always felt that pain was more physical and suffering was more of a mental burden, but your take on it intrigues me. I agree that if we can embrace our struggles, both mental and physical, then we allow ourselves to become much stronger in the long run. I am interested by the fact that you feel that strength and drive are found in the pursuit of purpose. I agree that this idea is extremely prevalent in Gilgamesh, but I'm curious to see what your thoughts are as to what Job's purpose might have been, especially from his own perspective. What drove Job to do what he did? Was it all just a pursuit for the undying approval of his God, or was there more to it for him?