Women's Role In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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Females played a major role in Ancient Sumerian society. From the female characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh, it is possible to glimpse how women were treated in Ancient Sumeria. From the different positions women held in The Epic of Gilgamesh, and how female sexuality was portrayed, it can be inferred that the Ancient Sumerians treated women differently than the world’s historical treatment of women around that time.
The Ancient Sumerians did not view women as mere sex objects. They had a very different view of sexuality. Female sexuality and its role in The Epic of Gilgamesh is an important theme in this tale and in the society of Sumeria. Shamhat, a prostitute, is one of the most important female characters in this epic because of how the Ancient Sumerians viewed sexuality. When a hunter discovered Ekidnu, the wild man, hunting in the wilderness, he brought the harlot Shamhat to seduce Ekidnu and introduce him to civilization. The hunter instructed Shamhat: “Teach him, the savage man, your woman’s art, for when he murmurs love to you the wild beasts that share his life in the hills will reject him.” The harlot did so, and when they had slept together for six …show more content…

When Gilgamesh sought Utnapishtim, he stumbled across Siduri, a wine maker who showed Gilgamesh the way to find Utnapishtim. It is important to note the fact that Siduri was a tavern owner as is stated in The Epic of Gilgamesh: “Beside the sea she lives, the woman of the vine, the maker of wine.” This is a major key in discerning how the Ancient Sumerians treated women. An argument can be made that women had extended rights in Sumeria to the extent that they were able to own their own businesses as is seen in Siduri’s case. Not only were they allowed to run their own businesses, but women held the most important position in that society: the role of the

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