Shamhat In Gilgamesh Essay

During Gilgamesh first journey of becoming whole which will also help restore balance to himself and his land. A hero who has already withhold a legacy such as Gilgamesh comes with its pros and cons of different women. By reading Gilgamesh, women are considered beneath men in society. Women have little or no rights to uphold besides men. Other than women who are goddesses have the advantage compared to others who are often disrespected because of their status. Women were represented as worthless human beings to stratify a man sexual pleasure. Therefore women only contribute to heroes by either using their bodies as an object, giving guidances and a word of advice. But also women do have thematic significance in expressing the truth about the nature of a woman and of male-female relations.

As for instance in Shamhat case, the temple prostitute. Shamhat is a type of person who would change a man perspective mentally, emotionally, and physically. She was sent to bring Enkidu back to his civilize human ways. In Book I, Shamhat uses her love-arts and held nothing back, and showed him what a woman truly is (79). As it explained in the book Shamhat uses her beauty to accompany a new side of manhood. Her appearance

Apart from that, she also plays a small role but a very significant part in bringing Enkidu and Gilgamesh closer together. Ninsun is highly fond of her son. Ninsun motherly instincts had also helped guided her son, Gilgamesh through tough times such as when he had his night terrors. She spoke highly of him and given him praise to the gods. In Book III, Ninsun says, “Lord of heaven, you granted my son beauty and strength and courage” (99). Ninsun relationship with Gilgamesh is positively evolving. Mitchell correctly shows in the text how Gilgamesh has the odd most respect for his mother. In Book III, “Gilgamesh bowed to his mother” which mainly shows an excellent example of a healthy male and female relationship