What is the role of women in the Epic of Gilgamesh?

[Sarah A]

While women play important roles in the epic, it is obvious that their
roles are supporting ones. Some women even remain unnamed for the
epic, like Utnapishtim's wife, or are often reffered to by a one word
title (as opposed to Gilgamesh who is often given lengthy, glorifying
titles).

One could argue that the epic could never have happened if the harlot
had not met Enkidu. That makes her an important character. I disagree-
that makes her important to the plot, but she is not an significant
character beyond that.

Women in the epic are flat characters that do not go through the
changes that the male characters do. Even Utnapishtim reveals
characteristics about himself during his story of the flood. The
harlot remains a harlot for the entire epic, and the wife just a
wife.

With all the detail that surrounds many of the events in the epic, I
have to wonder if the missing details pertaining just to the female
characters is a reflection of how women were viewed in ancient
Mesopotamia. I should point out that the female gods are more dynamic
characters and are described accordingly, but this is to be expected
since gods, even if they are women, are above mere humans.

Women in the Epic of Gilgamesh provide significant details to the
overall plot. However, they only contribute to the story what the men
tell them to. The harlot was acting on orders from the trapper and
Utnapishtim's wife was acting for her husband.

[Tammy]

I feel that woman are very important; then and now. Yes I will argue
that the harlot played a significant role in "Gilgamesh". I believe
that if she did not bare herself to him, he would still be in the
woods. Women are very powerful and manipulative. Women can weaken the
male gender in making them think with their other head - thus causing
them to make wrong choices. Remember without woman, there is no man.

[Sarah A]

I agree with you- women can be powerful and manipulative. However, the
harlot was acting on orders from a man. She was being used to do
someone else's manipulating. In this way, she embodies the function of
women in Mesopotamian society.

> > Utnapishtim's wife was acting for her husband.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Andrew B]

I think that one issue with the women (the harlot and wife of
Utnapishtim) is that they are filling non-specific roles. For example,
in the taming of Enkidu it seems that any harlot would do the job and
so there is nothing particularly special about the one in the story
that needs mentioning (that would differentiate her from other
harlots, presumably they are all the same to Enkidu). While on the
other hand, for Gilgamesh, he does not need just any old man to be his
friend, it has to be, and can only be Enkidu - there are particular
qualities about Enkidu that are different from other characters that
make him unique in his ability to match Gilgamesh.

The flatness of character we find in the harlot and other regular
women may
just be a result of the unimportance of individualization to the roles
themselves. For example, there are plenty of regular men in the story
that don't get names. They don't have quite as large of roles as the
harlot. But, in fact, no 'normal' people get names. You have to be a
god, 2/3 god, goddess, immortal, or created by the gods to get
mentioned at all regardless of gender.