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Who Is Shamhat In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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Humanity has had ambivalent feelings about women since the creation of human beings. Enkidu’s feelings are extremely interesting regarding Shamhat, and his interaction with her in the myth The Epic of Gilgamesh. When Enkidu initially meets Shamhat, he views her as a “giver of knowledge” and lover; she teaches him about clothing, how to eat and drink like a cultured human, and about sexual intercourse. Eventually, she persuades him to go to Gilgamesh whom he finds a companion in. However, at the end of Enkidu’s life he curses Shamhat for teaching him about humanity, believing that she is the reason for his moral corruption. This scenario can be compared to the biblical story about Adam and Eve; Eve is blamed for humanity’s corruption because

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