In your comparison and contrast ON THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH AND THE OLD TESTAMENT (JOB GENESIS AND PSALMS), you will be answering 3 key questions about the 2 works of literature: What is the nature (character, values, practices, attitudes, actions) of God/the gods? What is the nature of humankind? (Are men and women naturally good? Evil? Violent?) What is the relationship between God/the gods and humankind like? Your goal in the comparison-contrast essay is to discuss the similarities and differences in the ways the two works of literature portray God, the gods, and humans. For example, how is Gods nature in the Old Testament similar to, and different from, the character of the gods in Hesiods Theogony? In both cases they are immortal, and are able to create life, but the Greek gods are not all-powerful, and they have lovers and children, unlike God in the Old Testament. That is just one example of some of the major points of comparison and contrast you could discuss. Begin with an introduction paragraph that summarizes the major similarities and differences you will discuss in your essays body paragraphs. Then, in an organized fashion, work your way through a discussion of each of the 3 key questions listed above. There are multiple ways you can organize a comparison-contrast essay, as we will discuss in class. Choose what seems most logical to you, and remember your goal is to avoid repeating ideas unnecessarily.Be sure to use direct quotes from the literature to support your analysis. In general, quotes should be brief, just a sentence or two long. Avoid over-quoting or under-quoting; in this paper one quote per paragraph should be a good guideline to follow. In some paragraphs you may need two quotes, and others you may not need a quote at all, but its a good principle to keep in mind. Be careful that you do not merely summarize plot. Show some depth of critical thinking. As you write, analyze the subjects significance and implications. For example, if Hesiod claims that evil originates from a woman, made by the gods, how could that claim shape the Greeks view of
women, and of the gods? If God in Psalms is described as a good shepherd, who restores the souls of his people and leads them to green pastures and beside still waters, what does that indicate about the relationship between God and humankind? How does that reconcile with the story of God being brokenhearted at humanitys wickedness and deciding to flood the earth? In your conclusion paragraph, reflect on what you admire in God or the gods, and humanity, and also what you are troubled by. Which type of deity seems more worthy of worship to you? What is your personal opinion about the nature of humankind?

How to cite our PDFs: The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. N. K. Sandars. New York: Penguin Classics, 1973. PDF. Web. 1 Feb. 2017. Genesis. New Living Translation. BibleGateway. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 2017. Web. 15 Aug. 2012.

RUBRIC
Began with an introduction which indicates what literature you have chosen to focus on in your analysis, and which summarizes the central ideas you will discuss in your comparison and contrast of the two works: Analyzed the nature of God/the gods in the Old Testament and in the one other text you selected: Analyzed the nature of humankind in the Old Testament and in the one other work of literature you selected Analyzed the relationship between God/the gods and humans in the Old Testament and in the one other work of literature you selected Highlighted key similarities and differences between your two texts, as you compared and contrasted the portrayals of the nature of God/the gods, humans, and relationships between the divine and humanity Avoided mere plot summary throughout your essay, and discussed the significance and implications of the subject, showing depth of critical thinking: Included brief (1-2 sentence) direct quotes from the literature which were relevant to your topic and supported your analysis. Avoided over-quoting or under-quoting: Included information from 1 academic source in your paper, which analyzed at least one of the two texts you wrote about. (Remember, your source must come from OBUs library, either in a print book or through OBUs online databases) Organized each paragraph with a topic sentence and clear, logical progression of ideas from one subject to another, using good transitions between paragraphs used proper grammar and spelling, and clear, coherent sentence structures Followed MLA Style guidelines and accurately cited your sources, both in parenthetical citations and on your Works Cited page Wrote at least 4 and no more than 6 full pages in your essay (Works Cited page does