The Great Deluge

The Great Deluge

In a Nutshell

Every disaster movie ever is trying—just trying—to step to the tale of "The Great Deluge." Zeus sends a huge flood to wipe out all of humankind? Only two people manage to survive the gigantic waves in a tiny boat? Yeah, that sounds action packed to us. We imagine it directed by Michael Bay or maybe Ang Lee if you wanted to get a little artsy.

This story is so awesome that some version of it pops up in a bunch of different cultures across the world. Century after century, people have sat on the edge of their seats to hear the tale of how humanity's hopes for existence was pinned on one little boat bobbing amidst mountains of waves. We predict that you'll ooh and ahh over this story just the same as all our ancestors have for thousands and thousands of years.

 

Shmoop Connections

Explore the ways this myth connects with the world and with other topics on Shmoop

Don't miss Shmoop's coverage of the version of the story told by Ovid in his not-to-be-missed collection of myth-y poems, The Metamorphoses.

Some think that story of Deucalion was inspired by the tale of Utanapishtim, who was also said to have survived a massive flood by building a boat. This older story comes from the majorly ancient Sumerian poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, which is widely thought of as the oldest piece of literature in existence.

Judeo-Christian tradition tells of Noah, who also built an ark to survive a god-sent flood. Get all the deets in the Bible's book of Genesis. (Unlike Deucalion, Noah also saved a bunch of animals. The ASPCA would approve.)