Women in Myth

In heroic tales, female characters can add or detract from the hero himself. They can help to define the character or play an important role to the whole story. In some cases, they reflect characters from earlier Matriarchal myths. This essay will examine the relationships between female characters and heroic myths through the exploration of Siduri in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Medea in Medea and Jason, and Sita in The Ramayana.

In the story of Gilgamesh's adventures, an important female plays a vital role in the main hero's decision. Siduri, a sensuous woman, is full of worldly wisdom, and advises the hero of the story, Gilgamesh, to cherish the pleasures of the world. She confronts Gilgamesh and gives him advice to live an Epicurean lifestyle.

Gilgamesh goes through many trials on his voyage through darkness, then he encounters Siduri, the wine-maker, by the sea who explains to him that immortality is for the gods only and that life and living is for humans; so rejoice in life. Although Siduri tries to stray Gilgamesh away from his quest for immortality with her touching words, he still moves on in his search. She is not an essential character in The Epic of Gilgamesh, but she does leave Gilgamesh with some words of wisdom.

Siduri adds not only to the hero himself, but is an important part of his search for immortality. Although she does not sway his decision for wanting immortality, she does share with him extremely inspirational words.

"Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for

which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him

death, but life they retained in their own keeping. As for you, Gilgamesh,

fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and

be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in

water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife

happy in your embrace; for this too is the lot of man (Thury 166).

Siduri realizes that Gilgamesh's search for immortality is useless and tries to illuminate the unlikelihood of his victory. She wishes for him to go back to the womanly world of domesticity. He is too hurt from the death of his best friend Enkidu and feels he must continue on for his well being. With immortality in his possession, he will feel more like an ancient hero and will have the satisfaction of achieving it for that sake of his deceased friend, Enkidu. Aside from Gilgamesh's greed for immortality, Siduri's words do imprint in the back of his mind, making him think more clearly about his future.

The story of Medea and Jason depicts the jealousy and revenge one woman endures after being deceived by her darling husband. Medea's love for Jason is deep, but when he decides to leave her to marry the daughter of Creon, Medea becomes enraged. She decides to kill Jason's bride and murder her children, leaving him childless and without a future bride. Medea's endless love for Jason is so immense and his infidelity damages her deeply, that revenge is the only reassurance she has in her will power. Her frenzied actions show that she has her own strength and authority to overcome any hardships she encounters, even if it's callous and deceiving.

Medea plays a vital role in the story of Medea and Jason that the main hero, Jason, seems like a minute character. Without Medea, this myth would be drastically different. Throughout this myth, Jason's main heroic quest is to steal the Golden Fleece from Aeete. This fleece is the most prized treasure and Jason will do anything to have it. Medea, falling for Jason, helps him in overcoming the challenges that lay between the prize and him. She even sacrifices her homeland, as well as her father and brother to be with Jason, the man she adores. The character, Medea, is a sturdy woman with extreme independent power, which is show through her sacrifices for Jason. While she is with Jason, she represents the gloomy, magical, prevailing, vicious, and rebellious side of femininity. She is an outsider, and in certain versions of darker features with a strong will and quick temper.

Due to Medea's distinctive sovereignty and capability to yield supremacy above Jason, particularly when it comes to their offspring's who symbolize fertility; it is probable that Medea is representational of previous Matriarchal deities. Medea obtains powers of both light and dark. These powers can be seen through her optimistic choice of be wedding Jason, which symbolizes light, and her hectic hostility, symbolizing her dark side. Medea is easily infuriated during this mysterious