(sorry this is so late guys, my Internet decided to stop working…)
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the protagonist is presented as having a nearly perfect life. He has all the resources and especially people to do his bidding, that he could ever want. He begins the story knowing no form of suffering whatsoever. However, the character of Enkidu seems to bring suffering, despite him being a friend. Without Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh might never have known any suffering. Similarly, Job may never have know what it was to suffer if God had never allowed Satan to cause him pain. I find it interesting that both stories the gods or God (directly or indirectly) introduced new forms of pain to a wealthy, privileged protagonist.
The types of suffering were also seemingly similar. At first, both men lost something they loved. Enkidu died and Job lost his family and possessions. However, neither of them suffered and physical pain to begin with. Then, after some development in the plot, both men face more severe physical ordeals. Gilgamesh must walk through the leagues of darkness and cross the ocean, only to loose what he is looking for. Job is inflicted with all sorts of sores and skin infections which cause him intense pain.
Additionally, both men have a moral struggle that they go through. This type of suffering is meant to be the moral of each of the stories. Job's emotional struggle in trying to have faith in God is meant to be a lesson for the younger generations. Retaining faith in God brought him rewards and happiness, and so his struggle, both physical and emotional, was necessary for him to live his life to the fullest. This presents those reading the myth with a story of how they can suffer and still maintain their faith. In Gilgamesh, he struggles with the concept of death. He is so close to immortality, but still has to fear death. So, he puts himself through many ordeals to try and fulfill his destiny and seek immortality, but ends up loosing the one thing that could help him attain it.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteThe journey or sequence of events you describe on the two stories is something I picked up on as well. I think, perhaps, the idea of suffering (the romanticized idea) is to provide a measure of humility in otherwise privileged individuals. Also, there is the idea that the greatest individuals do not place worth in possessions, but individuals. It is my belief that stories of suffering exist to providE perfect examples of an imperfect race, just as God taught job a lesson. Good work!