...The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient story that primarily revolves around the lives of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Throughout their journeys and adventures, they encounter female characters who significantly transform Gilgamesh’s and Enkidu’s lives. The females in this epic, especially Aruru, Shamhat, Ishtar, and Utnapishtim’s wife, influence Gilgamesh and Enkidu through power, annihilation, and sensuality. Aruru, the creation goddess, plays an extremely crucial role despite her brief appearance because she creates Enkidu out of clay to stop Gilgamesh’s behavior in Uruk. From this action, Aruru portrays a powerful role that all women have by possessing the ability to create new life on Earth. Although women are seen as merely servants to men in ancient society, the Epic of Gilgamesh emphasizes the importance and value of females through Aruru creating a new being, Enkidu. After Enkidu’s creation, he meets Shamhat, a temple prostitute, who transforms Enkidu’s life dramatically. She plays one of the most important roles in the epic because she has sex with Enkidu for seven days. As a result, he loses innocence, gains knowledge, and becomes civilized like a real man. From this situation, the story indicates that women possess the ability and power to influence a significant change in males. In addition, there seems to be a unique relationship between men and women. The consequence of Enkidu’s encounter with Shamhat hints that the interaction of men and women results in men cutting ties...
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...storyline, both in American and foreign literature. Pioneers of the archetype concept include scholars Joseph Campbell, Christopher Vogler, and Carl Jung, whose notions of archetypal literature developed into what most academics accept as the characteristic blueprint for a quest story today. Though these archetypes were first described just over a hundred years ago, they have persisted throughout literary and visual art for millennia. The most important archetype that Vogler describes in his Memo That Started It All is The Hero. He describes Hero characters as the central figures of stories that often make influential accomplishments on behalf of their respective civilizations...
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...Women in Gilgamesh and Joseph’s Story In many societies, women play various functions like mothers, sisters, and leaders. Historical literatures like the Bible, Gilgamesh or even the Koran has had many women play diverse functions in the society or in the religious sector. By comparing the different roles that women played in both literatures like the Bible and Gilgamesh, we can be able to comprehend the role of women in both societies (Mitchell 80). Furthermore, these roles will be an eye opener to the type of society that these women lived in. These women managed to expand themselves to fit into the various circumstances that they found themselves in as well as become important in their society. Through Potiphar’s wife in Joseph’s story and the women of Gilgamesh, this essay seeks to understand how literature represents women in the society. Women in Gilgamesh are represented by employing various characters. For instance, the character Ishtar has been depicted to take the role of a lover. In the novel, she is the goddess who desires to win the heart of Gilgamesh at all cost. When her mission fails, she endeavors to murder him. This destroyer-goddess known as Ishtar asks Gilgamesh to marry her when he returned victorious over Humbaba. Ishtar descends to Uruk talks to the king Gilgamesh saying “Marry me, give me your luscious fruits, be my husband, be my sweet man. I will give you abundance beyond your dreams” (Mitchell 130-1). Moreover, Ishtar desired to make Gilgamesh respected...
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...ancient Mesopotamian epic could have anything in common, as biblical narratives, such as the Flood in Genesis, are written by divine inspiration and ancient Mesopotamian writings, such as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," are steeped in mythology and written solely by human hand. Although fundamental differences are present in the two, the Flood in Genesis and "The Epic of Gilgamesh" also feature distinct parallels. At first glance, the discrepancies between "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and the Flood in Genesis appear to overpower any resemblances perhaps perceived as coincidences. However, further inspection uncovers startling similarities in these two accounts of the Great Flood, leading many to believe that the parallels are not coincidences at all. The story of the Flood in Genesis was first written as part of the Old Testament by the Jewish people. However, it is predated by far by the story "The Epic of Gilgamesh," a story that originates in the same area that holds many striking similarities to the tale of the Flood in Genesis. Though the story is modified to accommodate new characters, many properties of the story are similar, from small details like the creatures that are used as scouts to the religious purpose of the flood itself. For example, both the flood stories start with the characters receiving specific building instructions for a ship, which is to be used to spare the lives of one set of pairs of the creatures of the world. The dimensions of the ship undergo some drastic changes...
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...Running head: THE TWO FLOODS 1 Noah and Gilgamesh the Two Great Floods Jonathan Bailey Oakland City University English 201 World Lit. The Two Floods 2 The History The epic story of Gilgamesh has been an interest of religious patrons since it was found in the ruins of the great library of Nineveh in the mid-nineteenth century, along with its substantial similarities to the great flood in Noah’s day. The remaining portion of this epic story, which very possibly dates back to the third millennium B.C., and holds little if almost no Christian values, as it distresses the typical beliefs in the myths related with the pagan societies of the period in time. Nevertheless, a number of religious patrons have deliberated on the notion of creation and the hereafter introduced in the epic story. There are even select researchers that have accepted the similarities in the Babylonian and Hebrew findings, while all are not ready to make the connection in the two floods. (Keller, 1956) (anonymous, 2013) There are countless stories telling of floods that have come from ancient sources strewn around the globe. The accounts that were translated from the cuneiform tablets were comprised of some of the most primitive remaining text, having recognizable associations. Cuneiform script was created by the Sumerians and passed on by the Akkadians. Babylonian as well as Assyrian are dialects of Akkadian, and both have instances of floods in them. Despite the fact that there...
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...Antiquity through Literature The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Sumarian text, along with two ancient Chinese poems: To be A Woman, written by Fu Xuan and Substance, Shadow, and Spirit written by T’ao Ch’ien, are all pieces of literature from the period of antiquity (the time prior to the Middle Ages). Reading each of them not simply for pleasure, but rather for the message injected into all parts of these works, allows a reader to learn a great many things other than the plot of the story they have written. The Epic of Gilgamesh takes us through the life of the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, as he quests for the meaning of living life and for the comfort needed to accept his mortality. To Be a Woman presents to the reader the perspective of a young woman about the way that her society relates to women with an attitude even less than one of indifference. T’ao Ch’ien, author of “Substance, Shadow, and Spirit,” introduces us to the reality of the commoners of another society during that period who were without the power to control their circumstances. All of these pieces of literature delve into the painful realities of life and the embracing of death; however, they are from the perspectives of those who occupy very different stations in life, and thus have very different problems and experiences which gives the reader vastly different understandings of life during this period of time. The attributes of the characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh and those of the speakers in To Be a Woman...
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...Introduction The epic poem dubbed the Epic of Gilgamesh is perhaps the earliest surviving literature on the face of the planet. The poem came from Mesopotamia in its original cuneiform script comprising 12 tablets. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a chronicle detailing the classic adventures of Gilgamesh, a historic king of Uruk. Over the years, historians have eliminated the 12th tablet for alleged inconsistencies. The poem depicts a wide range of themes such as the inevitability of death, which is portrayed when Gilgamesh’s struggle to be young backfires. Other themes include the struggle between humanity and divine power, necessity of friendship, oppression, and the enduring struggle for power along with the conflict between the rulers and the ruled. Relationship between the Ruler and the Ruled The conflict between rulers and their subjects is perhaps the most enduring historical trend known to humanity. As Machiavelli, Hobbes, Karl Marx and other realist theorist of power politics concur, this longstanding conflict manifests itself in terms of oppression and suppression where the ruling class seeks to dominate the masses financially, socially and politically. This trend is no more today as it was then. It is a reflection of survival for the fittest as envisioned in Darwin’s evolution theory (Foster 45). Looking at the epic of Gilgamesh, which was created at around 2500 BC, oppression emerges as one of the mainstream themes. This is portrayed in the eminence of the king...
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...Every mythological hero seems to be on a journey in search of the thing he desires most in the world. The two heroes who stood out to me were Gilgamesh, and Achilles. Gilgamesh’s greatest fear was death, while Achilles feared his legacy being lost and forgotten. Technically their desires are different, but their journey share many similarities, and in the end, boils down to the same thing. Each man in his own way, both Gilgamesh and Achilles desired immortality above all else. Though immortality takes on very a different meaning for Gilgamesh, as it does for Achilles, every decision as well as all the sacrifices they make, are based on their fear of death and dying. Gilgamesh’s journey for immortality begins with the death of Enkidu. Gilgamesh’s heart breaks when he had to watch his brother die, which made him consider the prospect of his own mortality and inevitable death.(1) Gilgamesh fears his own death so much that he seems to be willing to risk everything including death, for a chance at an immortal life. Gilgamesh does not know what the future holds for him, or whether his journey for immortality will bear fruit. But Achilles on the other hand, was given all the information he needed to make an informed decision before his journey even began. His mother Thetis told him of his fate. If he chose to go to Troy, he would die in in battle and his name would be forever remembered. If he chose not to go to Troy, he would live a long life and have many children who would honor...
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...About halfway into Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus and his crew continue their decades long journey back to Ithaca, facing many obstacles along the way. A reoccurring theme in this epic is deceit and temptation, factors that often Odysseus endures, but not all of his crew are so lucky. By analyzing this passage, there is evidence that temptation, especially from a woman, is dangerous, further delaying Odysseus’ journey home. There are underlying themes of the relationship of animals and humans as well. The passage starts off with the theme of temptation. Despite being oblivious of who was weaving in the house, the crew suggested, “whether it's a goddess or a woman, let's call her out now.” (Line 245). More often than not, Odysseus’ crew has succumbed...
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...Let’s Hope It Repeats: A History Lesson Human beings posses, as an innate part of our nature, an incredible ability to argue with each other about just about anything. Some of these arguments are necessary to push us forward, and some keep us locked in a standstill and accomplish nothing. One of the biggest arguments that today’s society is embroiled in is that of the existence, and treatment of, homosexuality and same-sex relationships. Unfortunately, it seems that this is one of those arguments that keeps us from moving forward. What frustrates me the most about the whole argument is how unnecessary—and ridiculously riddled with misconceptions and outright insulting fabrications—it is. Homosexuality seems to be too difficult a concept for our society to accept, but it is too real, and too ancient, an issue to deny. My purpose for writing this paper is to address one of the myths about homosexuality, and in doing so make a vital point about the biggest misconception that exists on the subject. In a society where each consecutive generation pushes the boundaries of social norms and acceptable behavior further outside of polite society’s comfort zone, fads and rebellions are commonplace. Often homosexuality gets lumped in with these fleeting trends and is seen as something transitory, something that will go away if denied acceptance long enough. On the contrary, homosexuality is not something new or impermanent. Rather it is a concept, a fact of life, which has been...
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...• Question 1 4 out of 4 points Which of the following differentiates the Hebrews from other Near Eastern cultures? Correct Answer: They worshipped a single god • Question 2 4 out of 4 points Why did the arts develop in Mesopotamia? Correct Answer: As celebrations of the priest-kings' power • Question 3 4 out of 4 points As noted in the chapter's "Continuity and Change' section, what most distinguishes Mesopotamia from Egypt? Correct Answer: The Egyptians were united by a more stable succession of rulers • Question 4 4 out of 4 points Why is the Epic of Gilgamesh a first in known literary works? Correct Answer: It is the first to confront the idea of death • Question 5 4 out of 4 points What about the Royal Standard of Ur illustrates social perspective or hierarchy of scale? Correct Answer: The most important figures are represented as larger than others • Question 6 4 out of 4 points The Egyptian word for sculpture is the same as the word for what other act? Correct Answer: Giving birth • Question 7 4 out of 4 points Why did Egyptian artists paint human's faces, arms, legs, and feet in profile? Correct Answer: They believed it was the most characteristic view • Question 8 4 out of 4 points Why were Egyptians buried with Books of Going Forth by Day (Books of the Dead)? Correct Answer:...
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...sometimes considered a fourth). Scientific and medical understanding is that sexual orientation is not a choice, but rather a complex interplay of biological and environmental factors,[1][3] especially with regard to early uterine environment. While there are those who still hold the view that homosexual activity is "unnatural" or "dysfunctional", research has shown that homosexuality is an example of natural variation in human sexuality and is not in and of itself a source of negative psychological effects. Prejudice and discrimination against homosexual and bisexual people, however, have been shown to cause psychological harm. The most common terms for homosexual people are lesbian for females and gay for males, though gay is also used to refer generally to both homosexual males and females. The number of people who identify as gay or lesbian—and the proportion of people who have same-sex sexual experiences—are difficult for researchers to estimate reliably...
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...Homosexuality From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about homosexuality in humans. For homosexuality in other animals, see Homosexual behavior in animals. Sexual orientation Male and female symbols overlaid Sexual orientations Asexual Bisexual Heterosexual Homosexual Non-binary categories Androphilia and gynephilia Non-heterosexual Pansexuality Polysexuality Queer Research Biological Human female sexuality Human male sexuality Demographics Environment Hetero/homosexual continuum Kinsey scale Klein Grid Neuroscientific Queer studies Sexology Timeline of sexual orientation and medicine Non-human animals Animal sexual behaviour Non-reproductive sexual behavior in animals Homosexual behavior in animals (list) Category Category v t e Part of a series on Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people LGBT flag Sexual orientation Homosexuality Demographics Biology Environment History LGBT history Timeline Social movements Culture LGBT community Coming out Pride Slang Symbols Gay village Rights Laws around the world Marriage Union Adoption LGBT parenting Military service Legal aspects of transgenderism Intersex human rights Social attitudes Heteronormativity LGBT stereotypes Queer Religion and homosexuality Religion and transgender Prejudice / Violence AIDS stigma Anti-intersex Biphobia Genderism Heterosexism Homophobia Lesbophobia Binarism Sexualism Suicide among LGBT youth Transphobia Violence against LGBT people LGBT trafficking ...
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...Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Key facts full title · Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus author · Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley type of work · Novel genre · Gothic science fiction language · English time and place written · Switzerland, 1816, and London, 1816–1817 date of first publication · January 1, 1818 publisher · Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones narrator · The primary narrator is Robert Walton, who, in his letters, quotes Victor Frankenstein’s first-person narrative at length; Victor, in turn, quotes the monster’s first-person narrative; in addition, the lesser characters Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein narrate parts of the story through their letters to Victor. climax · The murder of Elizabeth Lavenza on the night of her wedding to Victor Frankenstein in Chapter 23 protagonist · Victor Frankenstein antagonist · Frankenstein’s monster setting (time) · Eighteenth century setting (place) · Geneva; the Swiss Alps; Ingolstadt; England and Scotland; the northern ice point of view · The point of view shifts with the narration, from Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein to Frankenstein’s monster, then back to Walton, with a few digressions in the form of letters from Elizabeth Lavenza and Alphonse Frankenstein. falling action · After the murder of Elizabeth Lavenza, when Victor Frankenstein chases the monster to the northern ice, is rescued by Robert Walton, narrates his story, and dies tense · Past foreshadowing · Ubiquitous—throughout...
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...HUM101: WORLD CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE TOPIC 1: STONE AGE- PROLOGUE TO CIVILIZATION History: History is the record and interpretation of human past. It is useful and it teaches us many things about the world we live in. History is about everyday things which includes the factors how people use to travel, live, wear, eat, cook food, what were there beliefs, what kind of government they had, what theye use to do in their free time etc. All these factors makes history interesting and gives us an idea about the past actions of human beings. Before discovering what happened in history we must know when it happened. Chronology in history : BC: Before Christ BCE: Before Christian Era AD: Anno Domini CE: Christian Era Decade Century Millennium For example, we can count our age from the time we were born but we cannot count like these in history. No one knows when the world began and no one could write about 6000 years ago. But we must have a date that we can call Year One. People in different countries use different dates for Year One and sometimes often measure the date which is important in their religion. In Christian Calendar Year One is denoted as the year when Jesus Christ was born. AD means Anno Domini. These are Latin Word for ‘In the year of our Lord’. But also we want to count years before Christ was born which is before Year One. Time before Christ was born is known as (Before Christ). There are no written records about how people use to live in the past. Time before...
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