Gilgamesh: Tablet 11

In this tablet, when Utnapishtim is telling his story of how he got to where he was to Gilgamesh, I realized that the story of his journey is very similar, or the same as Noah's Ark. Specially the part when he said that he freed a dove to see if the storm had cleared and when it said that Utnapishtim packed everything he had on the boat he built we help.

(page 72)

Utnapishtim proved to the gods his wisdom, and for that they sent him to the faraway and made him a god. Utnapishtim wanted to test Gilgamesh as he was tested to prove himself that he is worthy of being immortal. Gilgamesh had to stay awake for a week, and that was his test. He failed his test as soon as he started it, as he fell asleep almost immediately. Utnapishtim plans to make him leave, but soon after decides to give him another chance by telling him about a plant underwater that will make Gilgamesh young again, How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man. After Gilgamesh has already obtained this plant, a serpent steals it. Therefore, Gilgamesh has failed both opportunities Utnapishtim gave him, defeated, he returns to Uruk. All of these happenings represent how Gilgamesh worked to hard to achieve immortality, but it the end it seems like it wasn't for him. He wasn't the same as Utnapishtim, and even though he did everything he could, having failed all the tests, it wasn't meant for him.