Comparing Women In The Odyssey And Gilgamesh

The Odyssey and Gilgamesh share a number of interesting pieces to their epics such as heroism, tragedy, and battles. The Odyssey and Gilgamesh fit well into the idea of epics. In both epics, there are numerous battles won that show the true heroism of the protagonists. Unfortunately, in Gilgamesh, we see the suffering and death of one main protagonist showing us tragedy. One similarity they share that is out of the ordinary is the women in these tales. There are numerous women in both of these epics and there is one thing they all have in common which is the power they have over men. Many of the women in these epics either use their bodies to deceive and distract men or they use mind games. When these men fall for the women, their mind plays tricks on them because they are so caught up in what they are seeing and hearing that they do not realize that their decisions may be swayed. The epics portray women as objects that use their sexuality, charm, and wisdom to pursue the men to make a decision with an outcome favorable to them.

He was content and never found himself longing for additional meaning or purpose until Gilgamesh sent the harlot as a lure to bring Enkidu into the city. The trapper told the harlot, "When he comes near uncover yourself and lie with him; teach him, the savage man, your woman's art, for when he murmurs love to you the wild beasts that shared his life in the hills will reject him." The harlot immediately did as she was told because a woman should not disobey a command from a man. Gilgamesh uses this woman in the same way that we use a worm to catch a fish. Enkidu immediately falls for the harlot because he has never been with a woman in a sexual manner and when he does he is completely awestruck by her beauty and seduction. Although Enkidu has no idea what going to the city will entail, he is determined to be with the