Throughout history, civilizations have evolved over time. These changes occur in several different ways, especially culturally. One of the largest cultural influences is religion. Some cultures are polytheistic, some monotheistic, some have spiteful gods and some have loving gods. In three religious texts describing floods, obvious religious and cultural similarities and differences stand out.

Due in part, perhaps, to the common experience and physical existence between all humans, the telling of the flood stories can be very similar. Both the story of Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha in Metamorphoses feature multiple gods with human-like qualities. These gods sometimes disagree with one another, as stated, “[Enlil] should not approach this offering, for without reflection he brought the flood” (Gilgamesh 6). Similarly, in Metamorphoses, “…some of the gods encouraged Jupiter’s anger, shouting their approval of his words, while others consented silently” (Ovid 1.12). This cultural similarity could be attributed to the time period these stories both are attributed to, which is about 700BC. In this time, gods were believed to rule over specific things and often spite their people. People were often worried about angering the gods, and rulers could have ruled through fear in order to have their people cooperate. However, in Genesis, the story of Noah and the flood defines one sole God, perhaps a product of a more advanced and intellectual society 400 years later in 300BC. This God begins as a spiteful God and ends by making a “covenant between [Him] and you and every living creature with you” (Genesis 9:12). At this time, religion and government were becoming more separate; rulers were no longer seen as gods, which could be a possible explanation for the difference.

However, the way the people survived differs from story to story. In the Assyrian story, one of the Gods, Ea, warns Utnapishtim in a dream to build a boat in order to stay alive. At first, Enlil is upset with Ea, but Ea explains “It was not I that revealed the secret of the gods; the wise man learned it in a dream” (Gilgamesh 7). In Genesis, God tells Noah exactly what to do, explaining he will “destroy all mortals on earth”, even detailing how He wants Noah to build the ark (Genesis 6:13). He also instructs Noah to either bring one pair or seven pairs of each animal, depending on the interpretation, as it differs between chapter 6 and chapter 7 due to different translations and perhaps authors. In the Greek story, Deucalion and his wife land on Mount Parnassus. It is stated that, “No one was more virtuous or fonder of justice than he was, and no woman showed greater reverence for the gods” (Ovid 1.14). Although the way these people were spared from the flood in each story is different, the reason people were spared is likely the same in all three stories. Religious texts are intended to increase morality of humanity, and these stories all suggest that by living a moral life, God will spare you in the instance that He is disappointed in humanity. It is also interesting to consider what happens to the survivors after the flood ends. In the Assyrian story and Genesis, the survivors are granted immortality, which nearly equates those who survived with the God or gods.

An interesting aspect of all the stories is what happens to the earth after the floods. In Metamorphoses, “Earth spontaneously created other diverse forms of animal life” meaning it “partly [created] new monsters” (Ovid 1.18). This is interesting because the gods original intention was to “destroy the human race” (Ovid 1.10), but it seems that merely allowing the Earth to recreate itself will not solve the original problem. Perhaps this has to do with a belief in the natural state of the world, or the willingness of the gods to give a second chance. It could also be a commentary on Jupiter’s quick reaction and the understanding of the gods to not flood the earth again. Regardless, this is a strange way to end, considering the gods obviously wanted change. In the story of Utnapishtim, it is said, “all mankind was turned to clay” (Gilgamesh 6). It is not explicitly stated how the earth is repopulated, but it can be inferred that after Enlil blesses Utnapishtim and his wife, they go on to repopulate the world “at the mouth of the rivers” where they are sent to live (Gilgamesh 8). This ending ties up the story well, allowing the gods to both stick to their word and show their willingness to move on with those who are loyal to them. This is an obvious cultural connection to the time, stating that the world can continue going on as normal as long as the people cooperate. In the story of Noah, it is most obviously described how the earth will continue on after the flood. When God “made a wind sweep over the earth…the waters began to subside” and the “waters receded from the earth” (Genesis 8:1, 3). After the water had fully receded, God told Noah to “Bring out with [him] every living thing that is with you…and let them abound on the earth, breeding and multiplying on it” (Genesis 17). Later, He makes a “covenant between [Him] and [Noah] and every living creature with [Noah]…so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings” (Genesis 9:11, 15). This ending shows how God is continuing to control what populates the earth, as he is specifically choosing who survived the flood and therefore who is allowed to procreate, but also that he wants to give the people a second chance. This falls in line with a more modern perception of a God who is all-powerful and all-knowing, but also allows His creatures to exercise free will. The differences in how the floods played out gives good insight into the differences of the three civilizations.