A Comparison Of Gilgamesh Vs. Job

Gilgamesh vs. Job: Who’s the Hero?

A hero is someone who has performed courageous acts, attained special achievements, possesses special qualities or nobleness of character that most would regard as an ideal to live up to. If we apply this definition of hero to Gilgamesh and Job who would come out on top? Let’s look at each in turn.

Gilgamesh was two-thirds god, one-third man and Lord of Kullab, a part of the city of Uruk. (23) He built the wall of Uruk which help to keep the people of his city safe from invaders. Together Gilgamesh and his best friend, Enkidu, performed many brave deeds including destroying Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar forest. However, when Gilgamesh rejected the advances of Ishtar she killed Enkidu in retaliation.

Gilgamesh is afraid of death and without his friend by his side becomes despondent.

Gilgamesh begins to search for the answer to everlasting life – immortality – in order to escape the fate of his friend Enkidu as evidenced by the line “Because I am afraid of death I will go as best I can to find Utnapishtim who the call the Faraway, for he has entered the assembly of the gods.” (23) One his journey Gilgamesh endured many challenges that would have made an ordinary man turn back such as the scorpions who stand guard at the gate of the great mountain Mashu – “At its gate the Scorpions stand guard, half man and half dragon; their glory is terrifying, their stare strikes death into men, their shimmering halo sweeps the mountains that guard the rising sun.”

(23)
Gilgamesh, however was not deterred nor did he turn back when confronted by twelve leagues of darkness. Instead he answers “Although I should go in sorrow and in pain, with sighing and with weeping, still I must go. Open the gate of the mountain.” (23) While Gilgamesh persists through the trials of his journey which was undertaken voluntarily to assuage his grief upon his friend’s death and his fear of his own death, he ultimately lost the prize he sought.
In contrast, Job endured many trials that were not of his own making.

A pious, god fearing man from the land of Uz, Job was a successful farmer with a large number of animals, many servants, as well as the father of seven sons and three daughters. Due to his success, Job was known as “the greatest of all the man of the east.” (36) Job becomes a pawn in a game between Satan and God to test his faith which God has help up to Satan as unwavering. God says to Satan “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (36) Satan challenges God that Job is so unwavering in his faith because God has protected and blessed him to which God answers “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.”

(36)
Job is an unwitting participant in this contest between God and Satan to test his faith. One after the other, Job loses everything he has been blessed with, his oxen and donkeys are stolen as well as many servants killed after an attack by the Sabeans, a fires kills his sheep and the servants tending them, and bands of Chaldeans raid the camels and slaughter the servants guarding them. (36) Although, perhaps, the worst loss is the collapse of the house where all of his children are gathered eating and drinking killing them all. Through all of these tragedies, Job remained unwavering in his faith and continued to worship God.
Unable to break Job’s faith, Satan makes things worse for Job and with God’s permission strikes Job with boils all over his body. Even though Job is racked with pain and encouraged by his wife to turn away from his faith, she says to him “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” (37) Job remains steadfast and responds “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (37) He readily accepts that God test man as well as blesses him.
However, Job’s patience is not boundless, it has limits. After seven days and seven nights (36) of great pain, Job begins to curse his life and question the wisdom and mercy of God. Seeking answers to why God would test him in such a manner, Job calls out asking “Have I sinned? What have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you set me as your target, So that I am a burden to myself?” (37)
While Job does not get the answer he is seeking from God he does come away with renewed faith. He also comes away with a realization that he can’t know and understand all things, that God can do all, and God’s will cannot be overcome.
So who is the actual hero, Job or Gilgamesh? The one who sought immortality because of his hear of his own death or the one who plays no part in this troubles? While Gilgamesh endured arduous journeys that an ordinary man would have turned away from, ultimately he was attempting to run away from a fat that we all face – death. His fear led him to courageous acts whereas Job persevered in the face of adversity which was not of his own making and did not result from any choice he made other than to be unwavering in his faith.