Comparing Women In Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, And Genesis

Through all the literature we have read this semester in great books, many of them had the same concept about the portrayal of women. In early literature women’s expectations in society were very different than they are today. They were viewed more like items and objects in the older culture that men used for satisfaction, instead of being actual contributors to civilization like in todays society. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, and Genesis, women are depicted in a negative way by giving off a seductive, tempting, and conniving image, the influencers for making men make unwise decisions. The author of Gilgamesh is unknown, it was written in 2100 B.C. and the place of origin in in Mesopotamia. The author of the Odyssey is Homer and it was
They were at sea making their way back home when they had to sail pass the Sirens’ “…those creatures who spellbind any man alive, whoever comes their way. Whoever draws too close, off guard, and catches the Sirens’ voices in the air-no sailing home for him, no wife rising to meet him…” (pg. 272). This shows women as evil, and alluring. The men had to fill their ears with wax in order to resist the voices of the Sirens’ and Odysseus was bound to the boast so he could resist the Sirens’ as well. Another example from the Odyssey other than the Sirens’ in the book, would be of women being represented as vindictive and lustful. In the Odyssey when Odysseus and his men end up on Circe’s island, she says “…lest go to bed together, mount my bed and mix in the magic work of love…” (pg. 240) and he stays on the island for months before she lets him go. Circe had distracted Odysseus of his quest to go back home. She distracted his attention to make him focus on her, causing him to neglect his duties and neglect his