Greek Mythology: The Representation Of Women In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Adultery and other sexual acts are often in greek mythology. The Gods sometimes sleep with many women, have many wives, have illegitimate children or all of the above. However, the women are often subordinate to their husbands or the males in their life. Greek mythology is very patriarchal in the sense that the men can do what they please while the women do not have that same freedom. The representation of women in greek mythology suggests that an ancient greek view on female sexuality was that women should not be promiscuous or express/act on their sexual desires, but simply fulfill the desires of men.
From what is shown in greek mythology it can be inferred that ancient greeks believed that women should not be promiscuous and if they were

Clytemnestra’s boast insinuates that ancient greek women were not allowed to be with anyone except for their husbands while ancient greek men could be with other women besides their wife. In

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk Gilgamesh was a harsh ruler and would not leave any women in the land alone, so his subjects plead with the gods to create a rival for him, the gods then create Enkidu who is uncivilized and runs free with animals until Gilgamesh uses his servant/slave to civilize Enkidu. A hunter take Shamhat, a servant to Gilgamesh, to Enkidu and she is ordered to sleep with Enkidu and “do for him the primitive man as women do” (GHM, 117). This act of using a woman to cause desire in Enkidu then fulfill his desires demonstrates how men used women for their own needs. From this we can infer that ancient greeks believed women could be used for the sexual desires of men as the harlot Shamhat was. In addition, at the beginning of the story Gilgamesh’s behavior before Enkidu’s arrival supports this claim as well. Gilgamesh is described as not leaving the women of Uruk alone whether they were the daughters of warriors or the brides of young men (GHM, 115-116). Gilgamesh’s use of women to fulfill his sexual needs/desires reflects how ancient greeks believed women should be used for the pleasure of men. Furthermore, in the Phoenician History of Kronos which describes the power struggle between Kronos and his father Ouranos, the beginning of the text discusses how Ouranos would leave his wife