Noah’s story in Genesis approaches the nature of what it means to live in a rather different perspective from the other two. Noah according to King James Version of the Bible was a man of diligence and respect and walked in the ways of God. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis. 6: 8)”. Noah lived on earth in a time when men were evil and walked in their own knowledge. They cared less about morality or any code of ethics in which they were to live with. They showed no respect to God, who had created them and only lived according to their own strength and knowledge “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis. 6: 5)”.
Noah was an exact contrast of all the other men. He respected and worshiped God. He lived according to the moral ethics and code of God. Noah can be said to have a sound judgment and used reason to decide what was right and wrong. He ascribed all of the power of life and death to God. Noah’s purpose of leaving was to live in the ways of God, to please Him and to do His will. It is this purpose that ended up saving Noah and the rest of his family from the great flood that wiped out the entire human kind from the face of the earth. Noah unrelenting believe in God allowed him to obey when God commanded him to build an ark which was to shelter him and his family from the heavy rains and the ensuing floods that were to engulf the earth. Noah can thus be said to have been careful and sensible.
Gilgamesh was the king of Uruk, which is modern day Iraq. He is said to have been two thirds a god and one third a human being. He was a very oppressive king who believed in his own power. Gilgamesh used to sleep with newly wedded brides on the first night of their wedding, an act which was disgustful to the young men of his kingdom (George, 2003).
The young seek the help of the gods who are powerful than Gilgamesh. The gods respond by creating Enkidu an equal of Gilgamesh to subvert Gilgamesh oppression of his people. Gilgamesh after encountering Enkidu and realizing his strength persuades Enkidu to accompany him to the cedar forest to kill a demi- god called Humbaba. The reason as to why Gigamesh wants to kill Humbaba is jus for fame and recognition (George, 2003). This shows that unlike Noah, Gilgamesh fails to use login or prudent reasoning in his quest for a meaning in his life.
After this ordeal and the killing of the bull of heaven, the gods mark Enkidu for death. Gilgamesh really laments this decision and grieves for Enkidu clothed in animal skins in the wild. It is at this juncture that Gilgamesh decides to seek Utnapishtim to learn the secrets of eternal life (George, 2003). The main objective and purpose of life is to avoid death and live forever. Despite his quest to learn the secret of eternal life, Gilgamesh out of rage kills the stone-giants who supposed to help him pass over the waters of death. He however manages to arrive to Utnapishtim by the help of Urshanabi.
On arrival he is reprimanded by Utnapishtim for trying to go against the set fate of all human beings. Gilgamesh heeds none of the reprimands as he is determined to know the secret of eternal life. Utnapishtim tries to demonstrate to Gilgamesh that what he was seeking was beyond human by having him stay awake for six days. Gilgamesh fails terribly in this trial. He still fails to see any logic behind this test. If he could not avoid sleeping for only six days, how could he avoid death?
Utnapishtim’s wife asks him to give Gilgamesh to a gift as they are leaving. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that at the bottom of the sea, there is a boxthorn-like plant that could restore his youthful vigor (George, 2003). Gilgamesh despite all the proof that he cannot conquer death still goes to the bottom of the sea to get the plant. When he returns, the plant is stolen by a serpent as he bathes. Despite all his efforts, Gilgamesh must return without having accomplished his mission. It is evident through all his endeavors that Gilgamesh was being driven by pride rather than reason or sensible judgment. He finally returns to Uruk having discovered that he was not immune to death and that would never be an immortal being.
Ivan Llyich, in The Death of Ivan llyich lives a carefree, simple ordinary life. He is an official of high esteem in a Court of Justice. He suffers an injury from an awkward fall while hanging curtains in his new move. He at first ignores the injury but the pain grows in its intensity with time forcing him to seek the help of a physician. As his condition deteriorates, Ivan realization of his mortality comes to him though he is not ready to accept it (Tolstoy, Tolstoy & McLean, 2012). He fails to understand why he would suffer such pain despite leading such a good life.
When it is clear that his chances of survival are dwindling, he gets irritated with his family members avoiding the subject of his imminent death. He only finds solace in his servant Geraism who seems not to fear death. Ivan discovers before his demise the actual meaning of life. He sees the difference between his artificial life that makes human beings fear death and the authentic life of Geraism, that of sympathy and compassion that one lives with no fear of death at all (Tolstoy,Tolstoy & McLean, 2012). Ivan is sensible enough to accept his fate and dies peacefully without the fear of death. He however pities his wife and daughter knowing that they also lead a life like his of fearing what is destined to be human fate.
Considering the three characters in the three texts, it can be concluded that Ivan and Noah learn the most out of their purpose in life while Gilgamesh learns the least despite all the revelations of his mortal life.
References
George, A. (2003). The Epic of Gilgamesh. (Translation: Andrew George). USA. Turtleback
Books.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2006). Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers.
Tolstoy, C. L. N., Tolstoy L., & McLean H. (2012). The Death of Ivan Llych and Other Stories.
(Translation: Aylmer Maude, J. D. Duff). New York: Signet Classics,
