Although the central protagonists of this story are men, women also have an important significance in the legend of Gilgamesh. A great example of this meaning is the character Shamhat the Harlot, the first woman Endiku meets in the story. Shamhat is a prostitute sent to tame Enkidu on behalf of King Gilgamesh and a hunter residing in the city of Uruk. When Enkidu is introduced, he is a wild man living in nature, alien to mankind. Enkidu's transition into a man gives him the opportunity to befriend Gilgamesh. By introducing Enkidu to society and influencing his relationship with Gilgamesh, Shamhat is crucial to the success of their adventure and relationship. Shamhat is hired to tame Enkidu, a wild man wandering the woods. After the meeting, Enkidu and Shamhat had sexual intercourse for nearly a week. “She did a woman's work for man, she caressed and embraced her passion. For 6 days and 7 nights Enkidu stood erect while he copulated with Shamhat” (I191 P.8). When they were finished, Enkidu received the self-awareness and consciousness of a man. He couldn't keep up with the other animals and was forced to stay behind with Shamhat. “Enkidu was weakened, he could not run as before, but now he had reason and broad understanding” (I 201 P.8) Women are highly revered for their ability to produce life; therefore, Shamhat's sex symbolizes his ability to nurture. Shamhat's womb tames and civilizes Enkidu; their sex transforms and births Enkidu into a new world. Self-awareness and consciousness are the main thing that separates humans from beasts; therefore, if Shamhat had not instilled this sense of understanding in Enkidu, he would never have left the forest. Although Shamhat is sent to have sex with… middle of paper… work. When Shamhat told Enkidu of King Gilgamesh's actions towards his people, he felt compelled to confront the king to help protect others. It is at this point in the story that Enkidu heads to the city of Uruk, where he meets Gilgamesh. Shamhat's occupation is a prostitute which gave her deeper insight into the inner workings of the male mind, which gave her more power with which to influence Enkidu. If Shamhat had never seduced Enkidu, he would never have faced Gilgamesh. Shamhat's ability as a woman to raise Enkidu from a savage man to a civilized man illustrates the importance of the role of women in the Epic of Gilgamesh and ancient Mesopotamia. Bibliography George, Andrew. The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic and Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian; Translated and with an introduction by Andrew George. London: Allen Lane, 1999. Print