The Role of Women in The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay -- Foster, Literary An

The fiction starts off with Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk, who is one third earth and two thirds god. This story is roughly a mans quest for immortality in addition to the importance of boundaries between the realms of animal, man and gods. Women symbolize the importance of locative boundaries in the text. These boundaries are set by the harlot Shamhat, Ishtar, Siduri, the tavern keeper, Ninsun and Utanapishtims wife. By giving women this role of wisdom and sharpness enforcement, The Epic of Gilgamesh reflects how Mesopotamian society actually valued women.The harlot, Shamhat, serves to establish the boundary between animals and humans. Enkidu, a creature on the border between animal and man is selected by the gods to balance out Gilgameshs power. Gilgamesh summons Shamhat to civilize Enkidu after a hunter complains to him about not being able to hunt properly. The harlot, made herself naked and welcomed his eagerness as he lay on her murmuring love she taught him the womans art ( 64). non only did the harlot have sex with Enkidu she also gave him clothing, good food and wine causing Enkidu to become a man (67). This shows not only the locative emphasis of a mans role in society but also a womans role in securing that situation. By civilizing Enkidu, the harlot manages to keep Gilgamesh in his place by establishing an equal for him.Similarly, both Ishtar and Siduri maintain the boundaries between humans and the divine realm by trying to keep Gilgamesh in the realm of man. Gilgamesh insults Ishtar with rejection and she then sends raven the Bull of Heaven as revenge (85-88). After Enkidu and Gilgamesh kill the Bull of Heaven Enkidu insulted Ishtar further when he, tore out the Bulls right thigh and tossed it in her fount (88). ... ... Gilgamesh sleeps show that he is powerless over sleep. Utanapishtims wife represents Gilgameshs inability to be immortal and the necessity of boundaries between the realms. Therefore, both Utanapishtims wife and Ninsun symb olize wisdom and the boundary between man and gods.Thus, the role of women in this story serves to keep animals, men and gods in their respective boundaries. The harlot represents civilization by taking Enkidu from wild man to civilian and putting him solely in the human realm. Ishtar keeps Gilgamesh in check by taking Enkidus life as a result of their disrespect season Siduri shows a womans wisdom by giving Gilgamesh his lot in life. Meanwhile, Ninsun gives Enkidu to Gilgamesh as an equalizer as well as her prophetic knowledge. Lastly, Utanapishtims wife shows that Gilgamesh can never be immortal and therefore must stay in his own world.