The Poem Epic Of Gilgamesh - 891 Words

The poem Epic of Gilgamesh highlights the complexand important roles of women in society long before notions of feminism became prevalent. This poem depicts not only the intellectual side of women but also solidifies them as beautiful, seductive, and powerful beings, who on a number of occasions evidence their equality and sometimes superiority to man. Take Shamhat for instance, she was a beautiful temple priestess, who was used to seduce the beast Enkidu, with her beauty and charm. So Gilgamesh replied: Go set a trap; take back with you a fine lover, Shamhat, the sacred temple priestess who might let him see what charm and force a woman has. (The Epic of Gilgamesh I p. 7) Gilgamesh summoned Shamhat to seduce the beast Enkidu knowing that if she showeredEnkidu with her loins, it would humanize him and effectively ostracize him from the beasts with which he was accustomed to roaming. Similarly, in a popular biblical story, Eve seduced Adam into eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of life after God had warned him not to. Thereafter, Adam, Eve and their progeny were forever banned from the Garden of Eden. After Enkidu’s intimate relationship with Shamhat, the beasts he had previously roamed with, exiled him.Enkidu returned to the herds but the beasts fled from him in haste. They stampeded away from his new self. He could n o longer race as he had once, legs soft now and ankles stiff. The beasts left him behind and he grew sad that he could no longer speed with them.Show MoreRelatedThe Epic of Gilgamesh Poem1357 Words   |  6 PagesIn the epic poem titled The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh was a king who ruled over the Sumerian city of Uruk around 2600 B.C. Gilgamesh was a very powerful and strong king, but he realized that he must use his power to help the people of Uruk. He is two-thirds god and one third human, which makes him realize that he must reconcile with the fact that he will eventually face death. He realizes that he will not reach full immortality and needs to be satisfied with his responsibilities over his peopleRead MoreThe Epic Poem Gilgamesh 1748 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epic poem Gilgamesh dates back to approximately 3000 B.C., yet it is still widely popular in the modern day 21st century, as are the themes and messages the poem may have tried to express. The transformation of Gi lgamesh, or perhaps whether or not Gilgamesh actually transformed, is a topic of debate relating to this piece. Dr. Micah Sadigh contends that Gilgamesh conveys the message of existentialism, which is explored in the works of famous philosophers such as Kierkegaard, Buber, and HeideggerRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Epic Of Gilgamesh 2135 Words   |  9 Pages2100. In Mesopotamia, around 1300 B.C.E to 1000 B.C.E, Old Babylonians edited Epic of Gilgamesh, a poem describes how did Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, try to find the everlasting life. This literature means a lot in history not only because it is almost the earliest written documents, but also because it reflects the worldview about Mesopotamia. For instance, Gods in this poem are pictured as terrible and selfish. Just like Mesopotamia, every ancient region had its own beliefRead MoreGender Roles During The Epic Of Gilgamesh An Epic Poem 939 Words   |  4 PagesBrandon Olmos April 4, 2017 Gender Roles In Gilgamesh, an epic poem, gender roles play a large role in the plot line. Even female goddesses had some key roles through this ancient epic. They might not have necessarily had the same strengths and duties to their male counterparts, but their roles were substantial. Even though the main characters in this epic, Enkidu and Gilgamesh, are male, women still had major roles in their tale. In the story of Ruth, Naomi and her mother-in-law defy genderRead MoreCivilizations and Heroism in the Epic Poems of Gilgamesh and Beowulf624 Words   |  3 Pagescivilizations. Heroes represent the principles and ideals associated with the varying morals of each individual society. The literature of Mesopotamia and Western Europe is a prime example of this. Beowulf, an Anglo-Germanic tale and The Epic of Gilgamesh, of the Sumerians, demonstrate perfectly, the ability of civilizations to convey the values and customs of their society through their literature. The setting for Beowulf is Scandinavia, before the time Christianity had spread its course.Read MoreBeowulf And The Epic Of Gilgamesh1667 Words   |  7 Pagesthe most widely known epic poems of their time were Beowulf and The Epic of Gilgamesh. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh embody traits known exclusively of a hero. The poem of Beowulf and The Epic Gilgamesh both showcase the characteristics required of being an epic, in that they include a hero on a quest performing valorous deeds in an elevated style, while being protected by supernatural forces. The epic poem, Beowulf was based in the country of Denmark, while The Epic of Gilgamesh was based in a regionRead More The Epic of Gilgamesh is Truely an Epic Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh is Truely an Epic An epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.  Ã‚   The main characteristics of an epic as a literary genre is that it is a long poem that tells a story, it contains an epic hero, its hero searches for immortality (but doesnt find it physically, only through fame), gods or other supernatural beings are interested and involved, and it delivers an historical message.  Read MoreThe Battle Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh931 Words   |  4 Pagesthe story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu partaking in their adventure to the edge of the Cedar Forest, and their encounter with a guard, an enemy. Throughout this battle, Gilgamesh loses faith in the couples ability to defeat the guard but is ultimately talked back into his heroic mindset by The Gods. In column VI, having just defeated the guard, Enkidu then finds himself in a similar situation to Gilgamesh, whereby he doubts their ability to defeat Humbaba, and it co mes down to Gilgamesh, and his leadershipRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 903 Words   |  4 Pagesquote than the epic. Epics in media are presented with high stakes, memorable heroes, and thought-provoking messages. They originated in preliterate societies and among the first epics is the ancient Mesopotamian poem called â€Å"The Epic of Gilgamesh†. Written during the Third Dynasty of Ur, â€Å"Gilgamesh† tells the adventures of the eponymous king as he befriends an intended rival created by a goddess, slays monsters, and embarks a personal and perilous quest for eternal life. The poem is widely consideredRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Odyssey Essay1548 Words   |  7 Pagesmisogyny into stone. There are some exceptional cases in the famous epic poems, the Epic of Gilgamesh of the Sumerians and Akkadians and the Odyssey from Homer of the Greeks. We all can agree that these epic poems or at most the authors did not view women with our modern perspective – equality among gender. However, we cannot deny that female characters helped set the path of the epic heroes’ journey to their goals. In these epic poems, women are portrayed as figures and themes of knowledge, motherhood