Relationship Between Ninsun And The Loving Mother Of...

Ninsun is the loving mother of Gilgamesh, although conforming to a stereotypical nurturing mother, she creates a sense of wisdom, both as a goddess and as a mother, using this wisdom to guide Gilgamesh towards his quest. Ninsun demonstrates her influence on the epic through her wisdom as she interprets Gilgamesh’s dream â€Å"Soon you will meet him, the companion of your heart. Your dream has said so† (Mitchell 84). As Ninsun reveals what Gilgamesh’s dream mean, she paves a path for the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The companionship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh is essential in Gilgamesh’s quest to find eternal life, for it is the loss of his beloved companion that forces Gilgamesh to realize his fate as a mortal man and gives him a†¦show more content†¦The communication between Ninsun and Shamash, the god of wind, lacks and gender difference, it reveals that the characters do no associate their gender with any level of power. To add to the diverse roles of women in Gilgamesh, Shamhat, a priestess of Ishtar, is the woman who is responsible for the civilization of Enkidu, a key event in providing Gilgamesh with a reason to embark on his quest for immortality. Shamhat’s role in the epic is significant because she is the character who prepares Enkidu to meet and become Gilgamesh’s companion: He tried to catch up, but his body was exhausted, his life-force was spent, his knees trembled he could no longer run like an animal, as he had run before. He turned back to Shamhat, and as he walked, he knew that his mind had somehow grown larger, he knew things now than an animal can’t know. (Mitchell 79) After Shamhat performs her love-arts with Enkidu, it is evident that he is much weaker and no longer able to run wild with the animals, however, he has grown in mind. This exposes the true extent of the power of women, and how women can transform a man, stripping the wildness away, and introducing the humanity and civilization of humans. Furthermore, Enkidu returns to Shamhat as opposed to leaving to go elsewhere in the wild, revealing that he has indeed changed in fundamental thinking of his mind to accept that he can no longer live wild and mustShow MoreRelatedGender Roles in the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay679 Words   |  3 Pagesin the Epic of Gilgamesh In the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender plays a very significant role. While women were not the most powerful gods nor the strongest or wisest of humans, they still had tremendous influence. Though the main characters of the story, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, are male, women did not play a necessarily minor role. With all the women that play a role in the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender is a topic worthy of discussion. The obvious role of men in the Epic of Gilgamesh is that of theRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Of Gilgamesh Essay2392 Words   |  10 PagesAnalysis of Relationships in Gilgamesh Characters are an essential building block to the narrative; who they are, what they represent and their relationships amongst one another. Particularly the bonds between characters can enhance the plot by providing the readers with an ability to connect with the characters and by enhancing the peculiarities within the narrative. A specific narrative that employs character relationships in this manner is Gilgamesh. The epic follows the life of the Gilgamesh, theRead MoreWomen in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Mesopotamian Society Essay1990 Words   |  8 PagesTowneWritten Assignment 1Western Civ 1Women In The Epic Of Gilgamesh and Mesopotamian Society In the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender plays a very significant role, because while women were not the most powerful gods nor the strongest or wisest of all humans, they still had tremendous influence over others around them, and even today, over those who study and learn about the women of the time of Mesopotamia. Though the main characters of the story, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, are male, women did not necessarily playRead MoreBack Before Written History Monster Stories Were Passed1248 Words   |  5 PagesEpic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf, are two stories where there is heavy symbolism associated with the monsters. Both characters form relationships with the supernatural throughout their journeys. The monsters Gilgamesh faces act as distraction on his spiritual journey, while Beowulf’s propel him towards his destiny. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh faces many monsters. These monsters represent the obstacles blocking him from completing his spiritual journey. One of the many signs that Gilgamesh relates