Wisdom in Gilgamesh

Several early creation and civilization stories revolve around man's relationships with higher beings. Notably, Gilgamesh and Genesis are two quintessential depictions that illustrate the polytheistic and monotheistic culture. These literary texts conjunctively parallel and contrast each other in various aspects. Punishment is a prominent characteristic that is central in Gilgamesh and Genesis in man's development of knowledge and wisdom.

Throughout the Book of Genesis, a protruding theme of knowledge emerges around punishment. This theme is most apparent when Adam and Eve deceive God by eating from the tree of knowledge. The Bible states, "The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining knowledge" (Genesis 3:6). Instantaneously, Adam and Eve attain knowledge, but realize their nakedness as a punishment. (http://www.allaboutcreation.org/book-of-genesis.htm)

Similarly, in Gilgamesh, Enkidu experiences the consequences of acquiring knowledge. Enkidu, a fierce and wild man, has sexual relations with a prostitute from Uruk. After his encounter with the prostitute, Enkidu notices his abilities have been greatly suppressed. This suppression is from the gods for his acquisition of knowledge. Both Eve's nakedness and Enkidu's loss of strength demonstrate the gods' propensity to punish by hindering knowledge from mankind. From the gods' perspective in Gilgamesh, it is paramount to limit the amount of wisdom acquired by man. This punishment is apparent when Enkidu gains the wisdom of the gods and it is plagued with heavy repercussions. The consequences are evident when the narrator states, "His body that loved to range the hills was now unable to follow; but in the mind of the wild man there was a beginning a new understanding" (Gilgamesh, 8-9). The punishments associated are a display of the gods remaining power. Hence, the omniscient gods desire to maintain the most power, control, and knowledge over mankind. (http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/GILG.HTM)