Comparing Gilgamesh’s treatment of Ishtar to Odysseus’ treatment of Circe. Gilgamesh refused Ishtar’s advancements He didn’t want to be turned into an animal like the rest of Ishtar’s lovers Odysseus accepted Circe’s advancements under certain conditions Comparing Circe and Ishtar Both turned men into animals Both were goddess’ Both enjoyed men’s companies Both like to have control over men Differences Circe and Ishtar Circe for some reason wanted to be dominated by Odysseus When conquered by a man she gives in Ishtar didn’t appreciate being denied by Gilgamesh She tried destroying Uruk with a bull from heaven How the encounters cause them to go to the under world Circe told Odysseus he needed to go to the under world to talk to a blind prophet to find a way home Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought the Bull monster to protect p rotect Uruk and ended up killing the bull. When they killed the bull, the gods were upset and decided that they needed to break Enkidu and Gilgamesh up so they killed Enkidu. This made Gilgamesh worried about death. He wondered if this was the same fate. He decided he had to go to the underworld to meet Unapishtim to find his secret. Similarities/differences in the voyage to the dead Odysseus did what he was suppose to do, and left with the information that he needed to get home Gilgamesh did not complete the task ta sk that was given to him in the underworld, was given the root that would grant eternal life anyway. He eventually lost the root.
What took place between Circe and Odysseus differed greatly from what happened between Ishtar and Gilgamesh. By the time Odysseus encountered Circe, many of his men had already been transformed into pigs, although he did not know that, only that his men were missing. Not only that, but also, Hermes came to Odysseus and told him what Circe’s plan was, and gave him an herb to protect him from Circe. When Circe attempted to turn Odysseus into a pig, Odysseus was ready to pounce on her. Anticipating defeat, Circe decided that her and Odysseus should be lovers. Odysseus says that he can’t trust her, and she must take vows not to harm him or his men, and free the men that she ahs already turned into pigs. This passage shows certain characteristics about Circe. Circe is a powerful goddess that likes to control men, until one man was able to defeat her. When Circe encountered this man, it seems though a different desire, a desire to be dominated by a man, arose. Also, after Odysseus dominated her, she was willing to serve all of Odysseus men with food and drink. Ishtar was similar to Circe in that she enjoyed exercising control over men. Although, Ishtar differs from Circe in that when Gilgamesh denied Ishtar, Ishtar tried to destroy Uruk using the Bull of Heaven. The destructive streak of Ishtar is why Gilgamesh refused to be with her in the first place. Gilgamesh had nothing to give to Ishtar, that eventually she grow bored with his body and find some way to end him. Gilgamesh didn’t know that Ishtar would try to end him anyway, and he was able to save himself how Gilgamesh always deals with things. Gilgamesh uses his brute st rength to survive. This is obvious when Gilgamesh fights Humbaba. This character trait is different from Odysseus’ great trait. Odysseus is called, “the man of many ways.” Odysseus
generally uses his wits rather than strength to get out of messy situations. This is seen by the Cyclopes, where he tell the Cyclops his name if “Nobody” even before he blinds him. Additionally, Odysseus generally receives some help from the gods, and this help usually benefits him. A proof of this is the help Athena gives to Odysseus when he is fighting the suitors. These factors helped Odysseus conquer Circe. As stated before, Hermes, a god, came to Odysseus before Odysseus entered Circe’s home, in order t o prepare him for Circe. Once inside Circe’s home, Odysseus uses the information and herb Hermes gave him to defeat Circe, and once he defeats Circe, he uses his wits in order to free all of his crewmembers.
