Gilgamesh Research Paper

Words: 404
Pages: 2

In late Ancient Mesopotamia times, women were treated differently and used for different activities that most women do not do present times. Sure, some women are still prostitutes similar to Shamhat in the book “The Epic of Gilgamesh”. Shamat lured Enkidu in as a prostitute and tried to make him civilized. Enkidu ate grass with the gazelles in the forest and lived in the forest until Shamhat brought him to have sexual intercourse with him for 7 days and 7 nights. Shamhat did this so she could persuade Enkidu to leave the forest and join the city of Uruk. At the time when Enkidu was in the process of becoming civilized, the great Gilgamesh was the ruler and king of Uruk. After Enkidu was done with the seven days and seven nights with Shamhat, …show more content…
For example, Shamhat was a prostitute that wasn’t too well respected like other prostitutes during Mesopotamian times. Women like Shamhat were basically only used for sexual intercourse and luring people into Gilgamesh’s city. Times have changed from back then, now all women are respected more than Mesopotamian times. Even if many people do not agree, women have most of the rights men do this day and age, but it was the complete opposite for the age that Gilgamesh ruled and was king. Mesopotamians believed that back then, prostitution was one of the basic features of civilization. Women were sometimes yelled at and cursed, but sometimes they were praised and blessed. Right before Enkidu was slowly dying, Enkidu cursed Shamhat for luring him into Uruk which is where he met Gilgamesh and it was a reason he went on a journey with Gilgamesh. Shamash was the ‘God of Love’ in the story and she told Enkidu that Shamhat at one time fed and clothed him. Suddenly Enkidu regrets expressing his anger towards Shamhat and blesses her and tells her that all men will desire her and gift her with jewels. During Mesopotamian times, women were not only given little respect, but in some cases, they were