Epic Of Gilgamesh Synthesis Essay

A Comparison of Women’s Deceptive Charms

Although the Greek epic The Odyssey by Homer and The Epic of Gilgamesh by an unknown author are each an epic tale about a man’s quest, both mortal women and goddesses play pivotal roles in each story. These two accounts portray women as being deceptive, seductive and using their powerful influence over men. They use their sexuality and deception to gain control over men to confuse, and deceive them. In addition to the great deity, Athena, and the famous seductress, Circe, one example of a female using her sensuality to deceive a male character is Penelope, the wife of Odysseus in the Odyssey. She takes on the role of both a seductress to the many suitors wishing to marry her and a powerful mother figure to her son. While mourning for her lost husband, Penelope promises that she will choose one of the suitors to marry without the intention of ever saying “I do”. In order to delay the suitors’ advances, Penelope tells them she will marry one of them after she finishes sewing her wedding veil, but she deceives them at the end of each day Penelope ruins all of her work so that the task will never be

We are introduced to Ishtar, the goddess of love, fertility and war; Ninsun, the mother of Gilgamesh; Utnapishtim, the goddess of creation; and Shamat, the temple harlot. All of these women play a vital role in the story, but it’s important to note that none of them are regular commoners. These women are portrayed as goddesses, mortals with a high social status, or objects. One of most important women in the story is Shamat because she tames the wild beast in Endiku converting him into a civilized man and later he become Gilgamesh’s companion. She is sent by Gilgamesh to use her sensual charms to lure Endiku away from the animals so they reject him and so the hunter can do his job. When she is brought into the forest by the hunter, she is