Abstract

“Female Deification: The Epic of Gilgamesh” formulates an argument against a feminist critique of the epic using an in-depth analysis of the female characters and their relative positions within the text. Although it seems female characters play a passive role in the epic, they are mentioned throughout the text as goddesses, immortals, or as godlike. How male characters interact with the women and how the women interact with one another exhibits the surprising power behind the women's behavior, particularly in comparison with their male counterparts. I labeled this process of character development as “female deification” to express how these seemingly insignificant characters become godlike in their placement and expression in the epic. This is particularly significant considering the ways they affect the male protagonists, as well as the limits and abilities the women seem to carry individually. Through the study of this deification, this qualitative analysis shows women within the epic are not undermined and thrown away. In reality, they are revered and depicted as equal to or beyond men.