As I was reading the Epic of Gilgamesh I got the sense that Gilgamesh and Enkidu were bisexual. I got this sense from reading about the dreams Gilgamesh had before meeting Enkidu. Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s' mother would explain to him that someone special was about to enter his life almost like telling him that the one you are meant to be with is near. Possibly in 2700 B.C. it was common for someone to have a sexual attraction to both sexes. There are many clues throughout the piece that make me think this. For example when Enkidu fought Gilgamesh it was almost as if he fell in love. Enkidu just suddenly stopped fighting and praised Gilgamesh for being one of a kind.
I also found it interesting when Gilgamesh sent the harlot to the woods to reel Enkidu in. This to me seemed as if the harlot (female) was part of mans growth. After Enkidu had sex with the harlot he developed and became a man.
I feel like sexual symbolism was used constantly throughout the story. One of the reasons why Gilgamesh was causing people to complain was because he had an uncontrollable lust for women and left “no virgin to her lover.” On the other hand, Enkidu was tamed from a savage into a civilized being through sex. Enkidu also tames Gilgamesh because after their first encounter, the lust that corrupted Gilgamesh goes away. You can see this when Ishtar asks to marry him and Gilgamesh refuses, even though she is a powerful god. This scene is also contains sexual symbolism when the “beauty” of Gilgamesh is described in detail and Ishtar is provoked by him, and basically asks him to have sex with her. Gilgamesh’s love for Enkidu is extremely strong and genuine and sometimes their passion for each other is described in a romantic way. Gilgamesh’s feelings for Enkidu is described as feelings of love for a “woman” and when the two get into a fight, there seems to be some kind of sexual imagery involved. They are “wrestling” each other, but embrace in the end, sealing their friendship. It is evident that the two people have a strong attraction for each other just by reading that scene. Gigalmesh is actually getting ready to have sex with a bride but is interrupted by Enkidu who fights with him. When they embrace, it seems like feelings of love was present in them as soon as they met. When the two become partners, it is somewhat like a husband and wife relationship. Gigalmesh is devoted to Enkidu until he dies and Enkidu does everything to stand by and support Gigalmesh.
Sex has always been the easiest way to gain full control over a man's body and soul. It is at this moment that he becomes vulnerable and weak. However, we didn't need Gilgamesh to prove that women are in total control but it helps the argument. This statement, and I am sorry if i offend anyone, can be proven with the female harlot. Here you have a helpless female, who has no fear of facing such powerfull and courageous man/god. She calmly seduces Enkidu to leave his world of comfort and enter a world of unknown, by simply exposing her breasts. Sexual symbolism is very important because it can be used as one of the most crucial weapons to dominate a person and leave him incapacitated.
Sex throughout this text is represented as a commodity, corruptive instrument and a way to establish power. It was through sexual acts that Enkidu “entered” the civilization, so in one hand we can say that sex is symbolized as a mean of civilization, the only thing capable of transforming a “beast” into a “human”. In another hand, sex is also depicted as corruptive, spoiling. It’s after performing sex that Enkidu was no more the same, he was rejected by his only friends, the same he used to save from hunters. Now they are all afraid of him just like they are of hunters; Sexual act made him one of them, a “hunter”.
As I was reading the Epic of Gilgamesh I got the sense that Gilgamesh and Enkidu were bisexual. I got this sense from reading about the dreams Gilgamesh had before meeting Enkidu. Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s' mother would explain to him that someone special was about to enter his life almost like telling him that the one you are meant to be with is near. Possibly in 2700 B.C. it was common for someone to have a sexual attraction to both sexes. There are many clues throughout the piece that make me think this. For example when Enkidu fought Gilgamesh it was almost as if he fell in love. Enkidu just suddenly stopped fighting and praised Gilgamesh for being one of a kind.
I also found it interesting when Gilgamesh sent the harlot to the woods to reel Enkidu in. This to me seemed as if the harlot (female) was part of mans growth. After Enkidu had sex with the harlot he developed and became a man.
When studying older civilizations, whether it is Mesopotamian, or Greek, or Roman, I am always surprised to see how prevalent and socially acceptable sexuality and sensuality are. In the story, they speak of a harlot no different then they speak of Gilgamesh. There is no negative connotation, no derogatory remarks. She is simply what she is: a whore, and apparently, there is nothing wrong with that. I always wonder, when and why both sexuality and sensually ever became taboo.
In coming up with an answer, I find myself constantly circling around religion and more specifically monotheism. With the introduction of monotheism came the concept of holiness and the thought process of aspiring to be god-like. For example, we want to be as kind as Jesus, as generous as Jesus, as disciplined as Jesus. When posed with a situation, we should always ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”
Contrastingly, in times of polytheism, such as in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Gods’ purpose was to be feared, revered, and cried to. More importantly, they weren’t perfect; they were not always kind, or generous, or holy. In fact, they possessed negative human qualities such as jealousy and greed. In that respect, giving in to the needs of the flesh is not en evil act, just a natural one. And so, in sending the harlot to Enkidu, the thought was “man will do as man does.”
From reading the comments above, I feel most of us are stuck on the point that there is a transition that happens once Enkidu is no longer a virgin. In class we used the word “corruption” to describe this process. I feel the word “contaminated” is more appropriate. Tying both sides of my argument together, one could say that the savage Enkidu represents monotheism; he is virgin, innocent, and pure. After the sexual encounter, Enkidu crosses over into the polytheistic world; he is now tainted as he has discovered the “dangers” of human fragility. In essence, he went from God to man.
I have to agree with Ancel, sex is represented as a commodity in the Epic of Gilgamesh. It seems to be more of a weapon king Gilgamesh used to further oppress his people. Love was depicted in two different ways, a more erotic type and the type involved in relationship formation or bonding. The erotic form involved Enkidu being seduced by a prostitute. The entire basis on which the prostitute was sent to seduce Enkidu was to change his life style. This involved him being free from the wild animals and entering civilization. Getting Enkidu to bond with a woman gave him a slight taste of a more mellow relationship thus introducing him to a different aspect of living. King Gilgamesh and Enkidu both possessed authoritative traits. King Gilgamesh was the more rigid leader and Enkidu was the free, more caring leader. The two developed keen love for each other. It was more of an influential relationship where the characteristics of one individual rub off the other. The two were almost intertwined, becoming one being.
I would have to say that sex in the epic of Gilgamesh is a symbol. To my understanding. Sex signifies humanity. King Gilgamesh is 2/3 God and 1/3 human which the only part of the story that I see that he acts human other than being mortal is his desire for sex. Also in Enkidu when he was created he was a wild person living with animals. He became civilized after having sex with a women and also signifies that sex is a way of corruption and manipulation. Sex I believe signifies humanity. King Gilgamesh and Enkidu were corrupted by lust and sex which shows their similarity. We can see that their mistakes and their change revolves in sex. Enkidu was feared by the animals because of his sexual relationship. Gilgamesh's lust wanting every women to himself first. We can see some characteristics of human beings, lust, betrayal, greedy. I think what the story wanted to tell us is that they are also human. To not forget that. Since we focus a lot in their abilities and their Godly being.
When reading this epic and the sexual symbolism that is portrayed I agree with the others of how Gilgamesh and Enkidu can be seen as bisexuals. In the ending it states how Gilgamesh mourned over Enkidu, with his tears and sorrow as a wife does. Another sort of symbolism of sex is as Kevin has stated, it being a corruption to Enkidu. Enkidu was clueless of the civiliation that existed outside his own world in the forest. When presented with the prostitute with the offering of sex he is drawn to it and with out any pretense to the fact of the world she comes from. After being rejected by his fellow animals he is forced to join a world of war and violence which brings him to his downfall. This in my view relates to the forbidden fruit of the legendary story of Adam and Eve, they acquired all these godly gifts on earth and when presented with temptation as Enkidu was, it brought like in th bible the fall of mankind.
In the epic of Gilgamesh sex plays an important role. Sex is what brought Enkidu from nature and into civilization. It was used to tame him and make him more civilized because after Enkidu had sex with the harlot nature rejected him, he was no longer apart it, he was now apart of the civilized world. So, sex is the tool that was used to transform him so that he lost his animal characteristics but gains human qualities. All in all female sexuality is what makes a civilized and domesticated life possible.
I think in Gilagamesh sexual symbolish is a very big theme, beacuse it got Gilagmesh want he wanted. He knew as a man that no man would have been able to resist such a beautiful women which in the end became true. Not only in stories is it used, but also in real life. A womens sexuality is a big thing in the world,it gets them where they want to be in certain situations.
It is quite evident that sex plays an imperative role throughout the epic of Gilgamesh. A couple of students mentioned in their blog posts, as we have discussed in class, how the sexual encounter between Enkidu and the harlot, shifted Enkidu’s status from being a savage to becoming a more civilized figure. However, I disagree with those assertions and believe the opposite to be true. Enkidu was only able to become part of society once he was subjected to the corruption and savagery of sleeping with the harlot. Once Enkidu slept with the harlot, a bit of savagery entered into his body, and was therefore accepted by civilization, because he was one of them: a savage. Once Enkidu was a savage being, he could not communicate to those he used to befriend in nature, for nature is pure, innocent, and civilized. Perhaps the epic of Gilgamesh foreshadows those transcendentalist ideas formed by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
As I was reading the epic of gilgamesh, I felt like the love or caring that they felt for each other, was more than a brother's love. i felt more like their relationship was sexual. But women play a very important rule in this epic as well. this epic describes women as powerful in different ways,for example; A woman having the power to make someone a completely different person by simply seducing him or her. and also having the power to " destroy" someone emotionally and mentally.
I find it fascinating that ficical sex can change someone from an "animal" to a human. I have never read a piece that has so much symbolism in it that you need to read it carefully to see what it is really saying. Also the relationship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu is very unique. You can't say that it is just a friendship because its something deeper then that.
i really liked the way the epic portrays the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. It is pure as well as complex. Moreover, the use of a sex symbol to change and tame an animal to a man shows the human side of life. It is quite intriguing to see that the fact of today that lust can take over mind and body was evident even at the earliest point of civilization.
Enkidu, one of the main characters of the story had to be seduced by a prostitute to become civilized. This suggests that prostitution existed in a society that was civilized as early as 2500 B.C. In order for Enkidu to socialize himself with other humans, he had to be corrupted, and rejected by animals surrounded him. This task was done by a prostitute that was sent him by from Gilgamesh. The story doesn’t give enough clues to conclude that king Gilgamesh and Enkidu are bisexual, nor did they have any sort of sexual relations. Gilgamesh is very unique because he is the only creature that’s 2/3 god, and 1/3 human. Therefore, Gods had to create him a companion. Not a creature that has similar sexual power with a different or even similar gender to satisfy Gilgamesh, but a “mirror” that helps him to realize his position as the king, and make him a shepherded to his people. Too, it was said by Gilgamesh that Enkidu was like a brother to him that was always there to support him. Thus, this eliminates the possibilities that they might have had any sort of sexual relationship.
Pema Sherpa Mesopotamia Deities. The Mesopotamian cosmology organized gods into a pantheon that reflected contemporary social and political organization. The rules in the pantheon were fixed, but the gods who held them changed in time. In the late fourth to early third millennium B.C., the god Anu was considered the supreme deity however the role was filled by Enlil, then Marduk and later Ashur. The characteristic of deities were often merged with those from neighboring cultures. It is believed that Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of fertility and the Akkadian goddess Ishtar combined their powers. Ishtar was considered to be the goddess of fertility, as well as of sexuality and violence. She is depicted as a warrior goddess standing or riding a lion. Shamash the city god of Lagash and Sippar is believed to often depict flames emanating from his shoulder. He was basically responsible for dispensing justice.
k Most of the deities at that time had a main temple in a particular city. The people were devoted to such extent that they emphasized personal gods to whom they set up shrines. The most powerful gods were represented in art with distinguishable symbols and postures. Cuneiform writing The Sumerians one of the inhabitants of the Mesopotamia was the ones to start writing in clay tablets. More than half of the ancient history is thought to be contained in these tablets. Cylinder seals were the first form of written communication used to communicate and identify about land ownership and water rights. The seals were rolled in the clay tablet and in this way the Sumerian recorded their documents. Cylinder Seals.
This style of writing was replaced by Cuneiform. Throughout the history of Cuneiform writing, majority of the text were economics. They documented the accounts of temples and palaces and private family business. The first proto cuneiform records concerned the receipt and distribution of goods by temples, the central institution of the earliest Mesopotamian cities. Letters, literary epic and hymns, magical incantations and omens were the genres used in the cuneiform writing.
The fragment contains the name of the divine hero Gilgamesh as well as the name of the seven deities
The Mesopotamians the earliest of all civilization gave us a new perspective in life. In the process of discovering the museum I realized that we indeed owed a lot to the ancient people who made it possible for the civilization to grow. The contribution from the Mesopotamian specifically the recording of clay tablets is intriguing in the sense that how people at that era with simple needs in life made such complex inventions. The epic of Gilgamesh which is one of the delights of the Mesopotamian era is also fascinating as it can be related to anyone. For instance, people are turning more arrogant like Gilgamesh in his prime time. Moreover, the use of sex symbol reflects upon the society we live in. The advancement or proposal of sex symbolizes corruption and it undeniable that it is evident till date. Like the saying that goes “Morning shows the day”, the Mesopotamian era and the eras thereafter have given the opportunity to wake up with a fresh start. I would like to finally touch down on the same point that if it had not been the efforts of the earlier people perhaps we would not have been able to be in the position that we enjoy today.
The epic of Gilgamesh carries a lot of passion in it, and with lots of sexual underlying. Gilgamesh’s beauty, power, intelligence and courage were some attributes that he actively used in getting his way with women. For example, being the first on getting any girls virginity in Uruk, or simply sleeping with any women he wanted no matter if she was married to a powerful man or not. There was no limitation in any present condition to stop Gilgamesh to proceed with any of these.
Another interesting thing I found as some other members had pointed out was that there seems to be a sense of bisexuality with Enkidu and Gilgamesh. Ninsun, Gilgamesh's mother pointed out that Gilgamesh would fall in love for Enkidu as the love a man feels for a woman. Ninsun could of make a different type of comparison of the type of love to feel, for example, a brotherly love. The love of a man for a woman carries many other things to it, not just to care for someone. Enkidu was created by the Gods to be Gilgamesh companion and the love that Gilgamesh felt for Enkidu is like no other that he ever felt for anyone.
Women, power representation and behavior of the Gods, and openness to a variety of subjects such as prostitution as a job with no shame at the time were also some other points in this story that caught my attention as all this also revolved around sexuality. Enkidu conversion from wild to civilize took place through the process of sleeping with a woman. After Enkidu slept the harlot he lost the qualities that he used to possess as a wild man; his swiftness and power were diminished and he no longer was able to keep up with his old friends, the animals. The harlot, the many different Goddesses, and women were also given strong roles to play back in those times with an openness and equality. The harlot was the key to bring Enkidu out of the wild and transform him into a civilize man, and her role in the story is spoken of as something normal and not someone to look down upon.
Well everything seems to be said already about the poem. Let me try to bring different angle as well.
I think that Gilgamesh is proving his leadership and greed by taking the bride before her groom does. His lust is not for a sex only, it is also to have something nobody had before him (virgin,land). This also can be symbol of greed which is also apparent when they go to Cedar Land just to prove how great worrier he is and set up his name "where no man's name is written yeat.
Woman and sex is very important to make epics, novels, and stories more interesting. Sexual symbolism is mentioned in number of places through out the epic. I can recognize how women may change the state of purity. For example, when Enkidu was first created, he was in the state of purity. He ate grass and roamed the forest with beasts and other animals until he was sexualy seduced by a harlot. Once the harlot performed "woman's art," everything changed. Enkidu was no more child of nature and he became civilized. I don't think anything beside the harlot could change the state of Enkidu. Not even the gods. Yes they created Enkidu but could not alter his state.
In my opinion, sex is portrayed as being a tool of which poisons the mind. This assumption came from the experience Enkidu had with the prostitute. Prior to this encounter, he lived peacefully in his society of the natural world. This natural world was his zone of happiness. Within this zone, he strives for nothing more than just being leader of nature itself. Once he encountered the entity of sex his views completely altered and led him to want more than just remaining in a zone of which he knew everything about. He wanted to explore the unknown and to prove that his more powerful than that of Gilgamesh. If this sexual encounter would have never occurred, he would never have even thought about becoming more powerful than Gilgamesh.
Sex can also be used in efforts to show some sense of foreshadowing. This is because Enkidu originally did not long for sexual experiences but once he received a taste of it, he wanted began viewing the world in a totally different aspect than he originally did. This shows that once he experiences something which is not part of his daily routine, it would lead to his longing for a greater experience and in a sense more power. For example, when he attempted to over power Gilgamesh, he came to the realization that he was weaker than Gilgamesh and eventually he gave in. Because Gilgamesh saw potential in Enkidu, he spared his life, and took him under his wing. Once Enkidu became close with Gilgamesh, he wanted more than just power, he wanted to be a legend. Sex foreshadowed his actions in his day to day experiences.
The sexual symbol is main idea of the story "The Epic of Gilgamesh." When Enkidu was wild and uncivilized, the trapper tries to turn him against Gilgamesh because the trapper was not able to hunt animals. With the suggestion of Gilgamesh, the trapper brought the Harlot to seduce him, and it helps to manipulate the mankind to make him to do certain things. Since the history until now the sexual symbol is subject that influence the view of thinking.
the sexual symbolism in this epic was profound. As Enkidu found out, sex can make a man do things he normally wouldn't do. It was through this act that he "became civilized".
What I feel, at a personal level, is that the story misuses the real value of sex which is procreation. Instead the main characters use sex as a mean to obtain what they want.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh we can find two cases that that can be use to support my way of thinking, first when the Harlot uses sex as the main tool to attract Enkidu out of the wilderness into her civilized life. Second, we have the example of Ishcar who used no other attributes than sex to try to conquer Gilgamesh. Also the story shows how the characters were giving more attention to the physical aspect and the external beauty instead of the internal beauty. In this point Gilgamesh is the executer of that manipulation.
As I was reading the Epic of Gilgamesh I got the sense that Gilgamesh and Enkidu were bisexual. I got this sense from reading about the dreams Gilgamesh had before meeting Enkidu. Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s' mother would explain to him that someone special was about to enter his life almost like telling him that the one you are meant to be with is near. Possibly in 2700 B.C. it was common for someone to have a sexual attraction to both sexes. There are many clues throughout the piece that make me think this. For example when Enkidu fought Gilgamesh it was almost as if he fell in love. Enkidu just suddenly stopped fighting and praised Gilgamesh for being one of a kind.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting when Gilgamesh sent the harlot to the woods to reel Enkidu in. This to me seemed as if the harlot (female) was part of mans growth. After Enkidu had sex with the harlot he developed and became a man.
Roman Fernandez English 2800
I feel like sexual symbolism was used constantly throughout the story. One of the reasons why Gilgamesh was causing people to complain was because he had an uncontrollable lust for women and left “no virgin to her lover.” On the other hand, Enkidu was tamed from a savage into a civilized being through sex. Enkidu also tames Gilgamesh because after their first encounter, the lust that corrupted Gilgamesh goes away. You can see this when Ishtar asks to marry him and Gilgamesh refuses, even though she is a powerful god. This scene is also contains sexual symbolism when the “beauty” of Gilgamesh is described in detail and Ishtar is provoked by him, and basically asks him to have sex with her. Gilgamesh’s love for Enkidu is extremely strong and genuine and sometimes their passion for each other is described in a romantic way. Gilgamesh’s feelings for Enkidu is described as feelings of love for a “woman” and when the two get into a fight, there seems to be some kind of sexual imagery involved. They are “wrestling” each other, but embrace in the end, sealing their friendship. It is evident that the two people have a strong attraction for each other just by reading that scene. Gigalmesh is actually getting ready to have sex with a bride but is interrupted by Enkidu who fights with him. When they embrace, it seems like feelings of love was present in them as soon as they met. When the two become partners, it is somewhat like a husband and wife relationship. Gigalmesh is devoted to Enkidu until he dies and Enkidu does everything to stand by and support Gigalmesh.
ReplyDeleteSex has always been the easiest way to gain full control over a man's body and soul. It is at this moment that he becomes vulnerable and weak. However, we didn't need Gilgamesh to prove that women are in total control but it helps the argument. This statement, and I am sorry if i offend anyone, can be proven with the female harlot. Here you have a helpless female, who has no fear of facing such powerfull and courageous man/god. She calmly seduces Enkidu to leave his world of comfort and enter a world of unknown, by simply exposing her breasts. Sexual symbolism is very important because it can be used as one of the most crucial weapons to dominate a person and leave him incapacitated.
ReplyDeleteSex throughout this text is represented as a commodity, corruptive instrument and a way to establish power. It was through sexual acts that Enkidu “entered” the civilization, so in one hand we can say that sex is symbolized as a mean of civilization, the only thing capable of transforming a “beast” into a “human”. In another hand, sex is also depicted as corruptive, spoiling. It’s after performing sex that Enkidu was no more the same, he was rejected by his only friends, the same he used to save from hunters. Now they are all afraid of him just like they are of hunters; Sexual act made him one of them, a “hunter”.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the Epic of Gilgamesh I got the sense that Gilgamesh and Enkidu were bisexual. I got this sense from reading about the dreams Gilgamesh had before meeting Enkidu. Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s' mother would explain to him that someone special was about to enter his life almost like telling him that the one you are meant to be with is near. Possibly in 2700 B.C. it was common for someone to have a sexual attraction to both sexes. There are many clues throughout the piece that make me think this. For example when Enkidu fought Gilgamesh it was almost as if he fell in love. Enkidu just suddenly stopped fighting and praised Gilgamesh for being one of a kind.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting when Gilgamesh sent the harlot to the woods to reel Enkidu in. This to me seemed as if the harlot (female) was part of mans growth. After Enkidu had sex with the harlot he developed and became a man.
Roman Fernandez English 2800
This is my blog post form my google account.
When studying older civilizations, whether it is Mesopotamian, or Greek, or Roman, I am always surprised to see how prevalent and socially acceptable sexuality and sensuality are. In the story, they speak of a harlot no different then they speak of Gilgamesh. There is no negative connotation, no derogatory remarks. She is simply what she is: a whore, and apparently, there is nothing wrong with that. I always wonder, when and why both sexuality and sensually ever became taboo.
ReplyDeleteIn coming up with an answer, I find myself constantly circling around religion and more specifically monotheism. With the introduction of monotheism came the concept of holiness and the thought process of aspiring to be god-like. For example, we want to be as kind as Jesus, as generous as Jesus, as disciplined as Jesus. When posed with a situation, we should always ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”
Contrastingly, in times of polytheism, such as in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Gods’ purpose was to be feared, revered, and cried to. More importantly, they weren’t perfect; they were not always kind, or generous, or holy. In fact, they possessed negative human qualities such as jealousy and greed. In that respect, giving in to the needs of the flesh is not en evil act, just a natural one. And so, in sending the harlot to Enkidu, the thought was “man will do as man does.”
From reading the comments above, I feel most of us are stuck on the point that there is a transition that happens once Enkidu is no longer a virgin. In class we used the word “corruption” to describe this process. I feel the word “contaminated” is more appropriate. Tying both sides of my argument together, one could say that the savage Enkidu represents monotheism; he is virgin, innocent, and pure. After the sexual encounter, Enkidu crosses over into the polytheistic world; he is now tainted as he has discovered the “dangers” of human fragility. In essence, he went from God to man.
I have to agree with Ancel, sex is represented as a commodity in the Epic of Gilgamesh. It seems to be more of a weapon king Gilgamesh used to further oppress his people. Love was depicted in two different ways, a more erotic type and the type involved in relationship formation or bonding. The erotic form involved Enkidu being seduced by a prostitute. The entire basis on which the prostitute was sent to seduce Enkidu was to change his life style. This involved him being free from the wild animals and entering civilization. Getting Enkidu to bond with a woman gave him a slight taste of a more mellow relationship thus introducing him to a different aspect of living. King Gilgamesh and Enkidu both possessed authoritative traits. King Gilgamesh was the more rigid leader and Enkidu was the free, more caring leader. The two developed keen love for each other. It was more of an influential relationship where the characteristics of one individual rub off the other. The two were almost intertwined, becoming one being.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that sex in the epic of Gilgamesh is a symbol. To my understanding. Sex signifies humanity. King Gilgamesh is 2/3 God and 1/3 human which the only part of the story that I see that he acts human other than being mortal is his desire for sex. Also in Enkidu when he was created he was a wild person living with animals. He became civilized after having sex with a women and also signifies that sex is a way of corruption and manipulation. Sex I believe signifies humanity. King Gilgamesh and Enkidu were corrupted by lust and sex which shows their similarity. We can see that their mistakes and their change revolves in sex. Enkidu was feared by the animals because of his sexual relationship. Gilgamesh's lust wanting every women to himself first. We can see some characteristics of human beings, lust, betrayal, greedy. I think what the story wanted to tell us is that they are also human. To not forget that. Since we focus a lot in their abilities and their Godly being.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading this epic and the sexual symbolism that is portrayed I agree with the others of how Gilgamesh and Enkidu can be seen as bisexuals. In the ending it states how Gilgamesh mourned over Enkidu, with his tears and sorrow as a wife does. Another sort of symbolism of sex is as Kevin has stated, it being a corruption to Enkidu. Enkidu was clueless of the civiliation that existed outside his own world in the forest. When presented with the prostitute with the offering of sex he is drawn to it and with out any pretense to the fact of the world she comes from. After being rejected by his fellow animals he is forced to join a world of war and violence which brings him to his downfall. This in my view relates to the forbidden fruit of the legendary story of Adam and Eve, they acquired all these godly gifts on earth and when presented with temptation as Enkidu was, it brought like in th bible the fall of mankind.
ReplyDeleteIn the epic of Gilgamesh sex plays an important role. Sex is what brought Enkidu from nature and into civilization. It was used to tame him and make him more civilized because after Enkidu had sex with the harlot nature rejected him, he was no longer apart it, he was now apart of the civilized world. So, sex is the tool that was used to transform him so that he lost his animal characteristics but gains human qualities. All in all female sexuality is what makes a civilized and domesticated life possible.
ReplyDeleteI think in Gilagamesh sexual symbolish is a very big theme, beacuse it got Gilagmesh want he wanted. He knew as a man that no man would have been able to resist such a beautiful women which in the end became true. Not only in stories is it used, but also in real life. A womens sexuality is a big thing in the world,it gets them where they want to be in certain situations.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite evident that sex plays an imperative role throughout the epic of Gilgamesh. A couple of students mentioned in their blog posts, as we have discussed in class, how the sexual encounter between Enkidu and the harlot, shifted Enkidu’s status from being a savage to becoming a more civilized figure. However, I disagree with those assertions and believe the opposite to be true. Enkidu was only able to become part of society once he was subjected to the corruption and savagery of sleeping with the harlot. Once Enkidu slept with the harlot, a bit of savagery entered into his body, and was therefore accepted by civilization, because he was one of them: a savage. Once Enkidu was a savage being, he could not communicate to those he used to befriend in nature, for nature is pure, innocent, and civilized. Perhaps the epic of Gilgamesh foreshadows those transcendentalist ideas formed by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the epic of gilgamesh, I felt like the love or caring that they felt for each other, was more than a brother's love. i felt more like their relationship was sexual. But women play a very important rule in this epic as well. this epic describes women as powerful in different ways,for example; A woman having the power to make someone a completely different person by simply seducing him or her. and also having the power to " destroy" someone emotionally and mentally.
ReplyDeleteI find it fascinating that ficical sex can change someone from an "animal" to a human. I have never read a piece that has so much symbolism in it that you need to read it carefully to see what it is really saying. Also the relationship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu is very unique. You can't say that it is just a friendship because its something deeper then that.
ReplyDeletei really liked the way the epic portrays the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. It is pure as well as complex. Moreover, the use of a sex symbol to change and tame an animal to a man shows the human side of life. It is quite intriguing to see that the fact of today that lust can take over mind and body was evident even at the earliest point of civilization.
ReplyDeleteEnkidu, one of the main characters of the story had to be seduced by a prostitute to become civilized. This suggests that prostitution existed in a society that was civilized as early as 2500 B.C. In order for Enkidu to socialize himself with other humans, he had to be corrupted, and rejected by animals surrounded him. This task was done by a prostitute that was sent him by from Gilgamesh.
ReplyDeleteThe story doesn’t give enough clues to conclude that king Gilgamesh and Enkidu are bisexual, nor did they have any sort of sexual relations. Gilgamesh is very unique because he is the only creature that’s 2/3 god, and 1/3 human. Therefore, Gods had to create him a companion. Not a creature that has similar sexual power with a different or even similar gender to satisfy Gilgamesh, but a “mirror” that helps him to realize his position as the king, and make him a shepherded to his people. Too, it was said by Gilgamesh that Enkidu was like a brother to him that was always there to support him. Thus, this eliminates the possibilities that they might have had any sort of sexual relationship.
Pema Sherpa
ReplyDeleteMesopotamia Deities.
The Mesopotamian cosmology organized gods into a pantheon that reflected contemporary social and political organization. The rules in the pantheon were fixed, but the gods who held them changed in time. In the late fourth to early third millennium B.C., the god Anu was considered the supreme deity however the role was filled by Enlil, then Marduk and later Ashur. The characteristic of deities were often merged with those from neighboring cultures. It is believed that Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of fertility and the Akkadian goddess Ishtar combined their powers. Ishtar was considered to be the goddess of fertility, as well as of sexuality and violence. She is depicted as a warrior goddess standing or riding a lion. Shamash the city god of Lagash and Sippar is believed to often depict flames emanating from his shoulder. He was basically responsible for dispensing justice.
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Most of the deities at that time had a main temple in a particular city. The people were devoted to such extent that they emphasized personal gods to whom they set up shrines. The most powerful gods were represented in art with distinguishable symbols and postures.
Cuneiform writing
The Sumerians one of the inhabitants of the Mesopotamia was the ones to start writing in clay tablets. More than half of the ancient history is thought to be contained in these tablets. Cylinder seals were the first form of written communication used to communicate and identify about land ownership and water rights. The seals were rolled in the clay tablet and in this way the Sumerian recorded their documents.
Cylinder Seals.
This style of writing was replaced by Cuneiform.
Throughout the history of Cuneiform writing, majority of the text were economics. They documented the accounts of temples and palaces and private family business. The first proto cuneiform records concerned the receipt and distribution of goods by temples, the central institution of the earliest Mesopotamian cities. Letters, literary epic and hymns, magical incantations and omens were the genres used in the cuneiform writing.
The fragment contains the name of the divine hero Gilgamesh as well as the name of the seven deities
The Mesopotamians the earliest of all civilization gave us a new perspective in life. In the process of discovering the museum I realized that we indeed owed a lot to the ancient people who made it possible for the civilization to grow. The contribution from the Mesopotamian specifically the recording of clay tablets is intriguing in the sense that how people at that era with simple needs in life made such complex inventions. The epic of Gilgamesh which is one of the delights of the Mesopotamian era is also fascinating as it can be related to anyone. For instance, people are turning more arrogant like Gilgamesh in his prime time. Moreover, the use of sex symbol reflects upon the society we live in. The advancement or proposal of sex symbolizes corruption and it undeniable that it is evident till date.
Like the saying that goes “Morning shows the day”, the Mesopotamian era and the eras thereafter have given the opportunity to wake up with a fresh start. I would like to finally touch down on the same point that if it had not been the efforts of the earlier people perhaps we would not have been able to be in the position that we enjoy today.
The epic of Gilgamesh carries a lot of passion in it, and with lots of sexual underlying. Gilgamesh’s beauty, power, intelligence and courage were some attributes that he actively used in getting his way with women. For example, being the first on getting any girls virginity in Uruk, or simply sleeping with any women he wanted no matter if she was married to a powerful man or not. There was no limitation in any present condition to stop Gilgamesh to proceed with any of these.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting thing I found as some other members had pointed out was that there seems to be a sense of bisexuality with Enkidu and Gilgamesh. Ninsun, Gilgamesh's mother pointed out that Gilgamesh would fall in love for Enkidu as the love a man feels for a woman. Ninsun could of make a different type of comparison of the type of love to feel, for example, a brotherly love. The love of a man for a woman carries many other things to it, not just to care for someone. Enkidu was created by the Gods to be Gilgamesh companion and the love that Gilgamesh felt for Enkidu is like no other that he ever felt for anyone.
Women, power representation and behavior of the Gods, and openness to a variety of subjects such as prostitution as a job with no shame at the time were also some other points in this story that caught my attention as all this also revolved around sexuality. Enkidu conversion from wild to civilize took place through the process of sleeping with a woman. After Enkidu slept the harlot he lost the qualities that he used to possess as a wild man; his swiftness and power were diminished and he no longer was able to keep up with his old friends, the animals. The harlot, the many different Goddesses, and women were also given strong roles to play back in those times with an openness and equality. The harlot was the key to bring Enkidu out of the wild and transform him into a civilize man, and her role in the story is spoken of as something normal and not someone to look down upon.
Well everything seems to be said already about the poem. Let me try to bring different angle as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that Gilgamesh is proving his leadership and greed by taking the bride before her groom does. His lust is not for a sex only, it is also to have something nobody had before him (virgin,land). This also can be symbol of greed which is also apparent when they go to Cedar Land just to prove how great worrier he is and set up his name "where no man's name is written yeat.
Woman and sex is very important to make epics, novels, and stories more interesting. Sexual symbolism is mentioned in number of places through out the epic. I can recognize how women may change the state of purity. For example, when Enkidu was first created, he was in the state of purity. He ate grass and roamed the forest with beasts and other animals until he was sexualy seduced by a harlot. Once the harlot performed "woman's art," everything changed. Enkidu was no more child of nature and he became civilized. I don't think anything beside the harlot could change the state of Enkidu. Not even the gods. Yes they created Enkidu but could not alter his state.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, sex is portrayed as being a tool of which poisons the mind. This assumption came from the experience Enkidu had with the prostitute. Prior to this encounter, he lived peacefully in his society of the natural world. This natural world was his zone of happiness. Within this zone, he strives for nothing more than just being leader of nature itself. Once he encountered the entity of sex his views completely altered and led him to want more than just remaining in a zone of which he knew everything about. He wanted to explore the unknown and to prove that his more powerful than that of Gilgamesh. If this sexual encounter would have never occurred, he would never have even thought about becoming more powerful than Gilgamesh.
ReplyDeleteSex can also be used in efforts to show some sense of foreshadowing. This is because Enkidu originally did not long for sexual experiences but once he received a taste of it, he wanted began viewing the world in a totally different aspect than he originally did. This shows that once he experiences something which is not part of his daily routine, it would lead to his longing for a greater experience and in a sense more power. For example, when he attempted to over power Gilgamesh, he came to the realization that he was weaker than Gilgamesh and eventually he gave in. Because Gilgamesh saw potential in Enkidu, he spared his life, and took him under his wing. Once Enkidu became close with Gilgamesh, he wanted more than just power, he wanted to be a legend. Sex foreshadowed his actions in his day to day experiences.
The sexual symbol is main idea of the story "The Epic of Gilgamesh." When Enkidu was wild and uncivilized, the trapper tries to turn him against Gilgamesh because the trapper was not able to hunt animals. With the suggestion of Gilgamesh, the trapper brought the Harlot to seduce him, and it helps to manipulate the mankind to make him to do certain things. Since the history until now the sexual symbol is subject that influence the view of thinking.
ReplyDeletethe sexual symbolism in this epic was profound. As Enkidu found out, sex can make a man do things he normally wouldn't do. It was through this act that he "became civilized".
ReplyDeleteWhat I feel, at a personal level, is that the story misuses the real value of sex which is procreation. Instead the main characters use sex as a mean to obtain what they want.
ReplyDeleteIn the Epic of Gilgamesh we can find two cases that that can be use to support my way of thinking, first when the Harlot uses sex as the main tool to attract Enkidu out of the wilderness into her civilized life. Second, we have the example of Ishcar who used no other attributes than sex to try to conquer Gilgamesh. Also the story shows how the characters were giving more attention to the physical aspect and the external beauty instead of the internal beauty. In this point Gilgamesh is the executer of that manipulation.