Women’s Role in Gilgamesh, Odysseus, and Beowulf
Stories are used as mirrors, which show the audience’s cultural practices, particularly given societies. Some authors write about contemporary society, illustrating the positions held by men and women. The approach is essential since readers have opportunities to learn and have a more in-depth insight into the individuals’ order of societal positions at a specific historical period. Discussions using epics, such as Gilgamesh, Odysseus, and Beowulf, show that in ancient Mesopotamia, women were presented with fewer rights and advantages, compared to men. Despite the inequality, women who were attached to higher positions were perceived as instruments of civilization, hospitality, seduction, and faithful wives.
First, the Gilgamesh epic revealed that women are instruments of civilization. Here, Priestess Shamhat is the character who brought out the role when she was directed to tame Enkidu, the wild-man. The role began when she went into the wilderness naked and tempted Enkidu for several days, “now, woman, make your breasts bare, have no shame, do not delay but welcome his love. Let him see you naked; let him possess your body” (Sanders 5). The situation forced Enkidu to engage in sexual intercourse with her, which was an indication that he had broken from his uncivilized animal world. The civilization started to manifest itself when Enkidu engaged in civic responsibility, hygiene, and consumed human food. Similarly, civilization became profound when he made up his mind and went to reside with people in the society, together with Shamhat. Besides, Enkidu was forced to live with people since, after he had become civilized, the animals saw him and became scarred, thus scattering away. “When the gazelles saw him, they bolted away; when the wild creatures saw him, they fled” (Sanders 5). In the end, Enkidu joined the domesticated life, which gave him a more in-depth insight that his mind has developed since he was more knowledgeable about things animals were not aware of. The analysis shows that Shamhat played a significant role in civilizing man and nurtured him for future trials, who later became a great hero. Generally, Priestess Shamhat helped reveal that women were sources of civilization when she used her beauties to lure Enkidu, who was later refined from his wildness through continuous sexual intercourse. This action was fulfilled after she was presented as a source of water near Enkidu.
Secondly, in the Gilgamesh epic, Siduri is a character who showed that women are instruments of hospitality. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh began searching for a way to become immortality by making prolonged journeys (Sanders 18). The situation led him to Siduri, where Gilgamesh identified himself and explained the motives of his wander. From the explanation, the woman queried his decisions and later advised him as a way of offering help. According to Siduri, Gilgamesh had to forget his misery, but rather to be happy, despite all the wealth he had, than to seek ways of escaping death (Sanders 18). Similarly, Siduri stretched her hospitality when she further gave him words of wisdom, after Gilgamesh had initially refused to regard her. Later, Gilgamesh went through unbearable pain after resisting the help and knowledge of Siduri, which was seen when he did not succeed in making himself immortal. Also, women as instruments of hospitality are seen in Odyssey, through Athena, who was a helpful character. Here, the audience encounters Athena at the start of the story helping Telemachus through offering advice ( Fagles 17). The information she was giving Telemachus was meant for good since she wanted the suitors to be chased from Odysseus’s palace. These suitors wanted to marry Penelope thinking that her husband Odysseus had died, which was not true. Also, the action of Athena is an indication of hospitality since took care of Odysseus’s child.
Moreover, hospitality is evident in Beowulf’s epic, through Wealhtheow, who occupied the role of cup-bearer. During the Heorot feast, Wealhtheow was assigned the task of serving wine to men in the mead hall (Kelley 9). The woman was very welcoming, which was portrayed by Wealhtheow, being respectful to the extent of saluting men before she offered the cup drink (Kelley 54). The aspect of hospitality is broadened when she was allowed to speak to the guests, who were pleased by her words.
Additionally, women are instruments of seduction, which was seen in the Gilgamesh epic through the goddess epitome. In epics, goddesses are presented as the most beautiful characters who lure men, especially heroes, with a major objective of destruction. This claim is reinforced by the goddess Ishtar, who had destructive motives towards Gilgamesh. In the epic, the goddess came down to the Uruk kingdom when Humbaba was defeated by Gilgamesh (Sanders 11). Afterward, the goddess offered the king an opportunity to make him the most respected and wealthy person on earth, alongside changing his kingdom to be the most fertile if he agreed to marry her. However, Gilgamesh refused since he had a deeper understanding of the nature of the goddess Ishtar. The king’s insight was seen when he recited a chain of the former lovers of the goddess and their painful endings after they had gone against Ishtar’s will.
Additionally, Gilgamesh remained firm on his stand, despite being seduced by the most beautiful woman and promised a delightful future. The major reason for the marriage repudiation was that the King of Uruk was aware of the short-term offers of the goddess and knew that he would severely suffer since her wrath was inevitable. Through goddess Ishtar, the audience understands that Gilgamesh could be a great king if he remained focused since he turned down the seduction. Moreover, in the epic of Odysseus, women are also instruments of seduction. The claim is reinforced by the action of Circe, who tempted Odysseus and later became unfaithful to Penelope, his wife. In the epic, Circe is presented as the most beautiful goddess character, among all the immortals who stayed and restored the hearts. Basing on the loveliest personalities of the goddess, she lured Odysseus to be unfaithful to his wife since Circe knew that the man would not resist the goddess (Fagles 125). In the end, Odysseus’s inability to refuse Circe’s seduction puts him into more problems, as seen through Charybdis and Scylla.
Furthermore, women are presented as faithful wives through the epic of Odysseus. From the statement, Penelope is a faithful wife, despite the departure of Odysseus, her husband. In the story, Odysseus had departed his palace for twenty years, but his wife had remained faithful as she was hopeful that one day he will still come back, despite reports that he had died (Fagles 23). As a result of the long period before the return of her husband, multiple suitors camped the palace for a marriage proposal to “the widow.” However, Penelope resisted their offer by urging them to be patient until she had completed the shroud for the funeral of Laertes, the father of her husband. Penelope’s words were deceptive since she used to weave the shroud during the day and unraveled privately at night. During the trickery events, the suitors kept coming to the palace in the absence of formal invitations. The approach was used for three years, which acted as a way of eliminating the suitors as the woman was not ready to be married to another man, basing on how much she loved her husband. However, Penelope’s deceptive ways were later recognized and were forced to provide a final decision by the suitors. Similarly, Penelope created another trick, which entailed an archery battle (Fagles 120). In the contest, she explained that she would become a wife to the person who could be able to string through the twelve axes using her husband’s fire and bow. Finally, all the suitors were unable to string the axes, which was later won by a beggar, who was discovered to be Odysseus.
Similarly, the story of Beowulf helped establish that women are faithful wives. In the narrative, Wealhtheow, the wife of Hrothgar, conducted herself according to the expectations of her position. The role was projected by her capability and power to conform to the protocols of the court, as portrayed through the cup-bearer. For instance, in one of the scenes, the woman gave the cup to Hrothgar before she took it to Beowulf (Kelley 21). This situation showed that Wealhtheow had an understanding that Hrothgar held the top position in the court as her husband and deserved respect.
In conclusion, women have occupied vital roles, which have determined the heroic journeys of many characters in epics. The contact with a woman can bring a character to the apex of valorous pursuit or away from it. Similarly, in the epics, Gilgamesh, Odysseus, and Beawuld have helped reveal the role played by women. From the stories, women have the power to transform societies into civilization. Also, such characters have occupied vital hospitable roles, which have helped those in times of need. However, they are instruments of seductions, which is a source of destruction to male characters. Generally, women are presented as faithful wives.
Works cited
Fagles, Robert. “Homer.” (1996).
Kelley, R. L. “Beowulf an Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem.” John Leslie Hall (1892)
Sanders, N. K. “The epic of Gilgamesh.” Harmondsworth: Penguin Classics 94, (1972).