Equality Within the comforts of the modernized human civilization that we all experience upon a daily basis, a person can easily forget how privileged they are to be existing in such a time of human equality and take that for-granted. However, times were not always as pleasant as they currently are; different diversities of people were not only shamed for their race, gender or ethnicity, but they were abused for it. In addition to that, abuse of this kind happened less than a hundred years ago during the times of when countries all around the world were placing the African American people under racial segregation. That being said, if things like human trafficking and racial discrimination can still be found in today’s modern world, then unfair…
In the Odyssey women are normally seemed to be not as strong and hold significantly less power than their male counterparts. In essence it is historically proven that the males are the controllers and the females are in contrast, the controlled but one cannot simply forget that women are known to have exponential influences on the men around them. With that being said female sexuality seems to be dangerous and even fearful toward men which is why I feel like this is why Homer uses this “talent” that women have with their sexuality and multiples it within the story of the Odyssey in which he turns these influential powers and characteristics into goddesses. One can argue that men have this fear inside of them that they cannot control and this…
“How to Talk to Girls at Parties” is a short story written fiction-fantasy writer Neil Gaiman. The story follows two young teens as they attend a foreign party without any awareness of the strangeness of the people there. The story paints a picture of a young man beginning his transition into adulthood and attempting to learn how acquire the things he now lusts for. I will be using two forms of literary criticism to dissect the work of literature, Modern Formalism and Psychoanalytical Criticism, in hopes of establishing the depth reached by Psychoanalyzing texts as the superior of the two. Formalism is a form of literary criticism that looks to evaluate a piece based on the content, form, and execution.…
In fact, the inequality is immediately echoed in Saikaku’s opening line: a woman is “an ax that cuts down a man’s life” (605). Throughout the entire novel the audience is continually reminded about these gender discrepancies, and of the expectations placed upon individuals to conform to the status quo of their gender roles. Women in particular, receive the brunt of this discrimination, which in nearly every case, has to do with physical characteristics. One such case describes that a beautiful woman is expected to have symmetric facial features, ears that are prominent, but “not fleshy,” feet about “seven inches long,” and that she should “not have a single mole on her body” (609-610). Saikaku, of course, satirizes this list composed of ridiculous demands to illicit laughter from the audience; this helps him both reveal and mock the expectations that the Ukiyo lifestyle inherently demands of only women in society.…
Though Enkidu has lost most of his animal nature, he still maintains this sense of being a protector to those who need it, be it the animals trapped in hunter’s traps or the new brides. Enkidu has a negative physical reaction to hearing this about the king and decides to take it upon himself to end the practice. He goes into the city and there he meets Gilgamesh for the first time. In their physical altercation Gilgamesh behaves like an animal; the narrator uses animal imagery to describe their fight as being one fought between bulls or horses. But when they finally look each other in the eye Gilgamesh realizes that”…[he] say himself in the other, just as Enkidu saw himself in Gilgamesh” (Gilgamesh/ Mason, p.24).…
Women of the Odyssey Throughout the Odyssey women are viewed in a myriad of ways; however, a common thread is woven into the epic. Women are seen as subordinate to men. Goddesses obey the gods, and mortal women kneel before their male counterparts. Suffering places itself upon women who disobey men.…
A hunter sees Enkidu and sends a temple prostitute to him in order to “tame” him. After he sleeps with the woman the animals disown him. Both Adam and Enkidu were influenced by women, both men lost something very valuable because of the women. Many details of the story about Enkidu in the Epic of Gilgamesh was influenced by the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden from the Old…
Literature: works of creativity written down. In the era between Sumerian Culture and Augustan Roman culture (will be referred to as “The Greece Era” or “The Greek Era” from here on), many works contained the same gods and occasionally refers to the same myths. However, do women in the works correspond in their characters throughout the Greek era or do their characters change throughout the era. One of the earliest works from the Greek era is The Epic of Gilgamesh.…
The overbearing gods and goddesses in the story create Enkidu to counteract his manipulation. Gilgamesh and Enkidu end up becoming best friends and going on many (unnecessary, but) epic journeys and quests together. Even though the book was written 5,000 years ago, it follows a template that many other action books follow, called the Hero’s Journey. This template provides an arc to the book that starts with the departure of the hero, reaches the climax with initiation and ends with the return of the hero, who have mastered themselves and the worlds around them by the end of the book. The epic of Gilgamesh follows the Hero’s journey, but even though the book…
In the story, Enkidu lives in the wilderness peacefully and a harlot comes to him trying to tempt him with sex. After Enkidu is satisfied with the harlot, “[t]he gazelles saw Enkidu, they started to run, /the beasts of the field shield away from his presence. /Enkidu had defied his body so pure, /his legs stood still, though his herd was in motion. /Enkidu was weakened, could not run as before,…
Kanzo Uchimura The way of treating women doesn’t exist in having a pleasure of theater going together with, giving them gorgeous clothes of gold, making them pretend to be a noble look somewhat with their maids beside. The way of dealing with women exists to the point that men purify oneself without reluctance to reward women’s fidelity, while men release women from a burden by means of practicing economy and running a household effectively. If a husband had such a pleasure, the wife must endure the frugal life with good cheer, bear the persecution of them for the justice with husbands. Indeed, the way of treating women must encourage their honorable character, not appeal to their humble vanity.…
In many epics, women play different roles. Some roles of women that occur are: The ‘Fatal Woman’/ The Temptress, The Earth Mother, The Unfaithful Woman/Whore, The Wife, and The Priestess/ Prostitute. In the epic, Gilgamesh, the Sumerian views of woman can be identified. Gilgamesh approaches different women on his journey to kill Humbaba/ Bull of Heaven and to find eternal life. Some of the woman help Gilgamesh while others repress his journey.…
But a tapper spotted him one day while he was out drinking at a watering hole. Struck with fear, the trapper went to Gilgamesh and asked for a harlot to seduce the wild man and bring him to civilization. This plan was successful in that the once wild Enkidu was humanized and forgotten by his animal brethren. The harlot then brought him to Uruk, where he faced his equal for the first time. Enkidu challenges Gilgamesh after learning of the selfish indulgences that he partook on his people saying that he has “come to change the old order, for I am [he is] the strongest here” (68).…
The Odyssey, one of Homer’s renowned works, was composed in about the 8th century BCE. It has been told and read for generations, and it has also served as a foundation for many other stories. However, it can often brush aside the idea of feminism and put men on a pedestal, leaving modern readers questioning how the role of women 2,800 years ago bittersweetly relates to the role of women in 2018. Although The Odyssey portrays a few examples of female strength, The Odyssey generally downgrades women by demonizing them and making excuses for male behavior.…
Within The Aeneid, Vergil, as the author, placed an undisputable, misogynistic point of view upon the female characters of the epic poem. His sexist perspective, coming from the ancient Roman society’s values and view on women, is hinted at in his description and depiction of the women, having them supposedly “serve” as troublemakers and/or suitors and potential lovers. From a modern, feminist perspective, Vergil’s misogyny only made the female characters appear stronger and against the norm of Roman societal views on women. Women have pivotal parts within The Aeneid and have some of the most power positions in the story, despite Vergil depicting the women as weak and underneath the men. Vergil attempts to assign women a negative connotation…