Epic of Gilgamesh, Eve, and Pandora from Hesiod's Works and Days

Woman Three of our readings have involved women, and while their roles were quite different there was a central role that the women played. The women play the role of temptress, through them hardship, death, and evil enter the world. There are certain patriarchal views that are present in each other the three stories. The harlot plays the role of the temptress in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The harlot was sent to civilize Enkido, so …

…in the three stories make man's life more difficult. Present in those same stories are clearly patriarchal views. Most simply in the fact that women are the cause of the toil and hardship that man now experiences. Also present in the three stories is the idea that with knowledge comes hardships. Not only did the women introduce hardship, but also knowledge. These common threads make the three stories that are very different seem quite similar.