Essay about Gender Issues of Mesopotamia - 801 Words

Gender Issues of Mesopotamia Throughout the history of our society, women have gained a certain respect and certain rights over time. Such simple aspects of life such as getting a job, voting, and even choosing who they would like to marry are things that women have fought for, for many years. At one point, these were all things that women in America and parts of Europe had no right to. Men as a whole had suppressed women and taken control of the society. Despite mass oppression in history, women have risen in society and now posses these natural rights. Back in the days of Mesopotamia, things were quite different. Women were respected for who they were and did not have to fight to gain the rights they had.†¦show more content†¦Another example, codes 151 and 152 actually show equal responsibility between both men and women: 151. If a woman who lived in a mans house made an agreement with her husband, that no creditor can arrest her, and has given a document therefor: if that man, before he married that woman, had a debt, the creditor can not hold the woman for it. But if the woman, before she entered the mans house, had contracted a debt, her creditor can not arrest her husband therefor. 152. If after the woman had entered the mans house, both contracted a debt, both must pay the merchant. 1 This example of equal responsibility shows to an extent, how women were treated respectfully within these ancient civilizations. The woman of the house has almost as much responsibility as the man. If together they accumulate a debt, both of them are to be held responsible. Evaluating Hammurabi’s Code, and determining exactly what was expected of women is very beneficial, though it isn’t sufficient enough to find out how women were treated by men. For this, we must turn to the documentation of one’s life within this time period. The story of Gilgamesh and his epic journey is a perfect example. Gilgamesh, when he is trying to tame Enkidu in the beginning of the journey, brings him a prostitute to love him. â€Å"That is Enkidu, Shamhat, show him your breasts, show him your beauty. (Ferry 8)† Gilgamesh says to Shamhat. Within this scenario, Gilgamesh is using this womanShow MoreRelatedEssay on King Hammurabi’s Efforts to Unify Mesopotamia879 Words   |  4 PagesDuring this era, ancient Mesopotamia was under the rule of theocratic monarchies. It was believed that the sole ruler was governing specifically for the gods and catering to their wishes. Mesopotamians were polytheistic, or worshippers of multiple gods, and extremely devout in their faith. They believed that the gods determined all situations and occurrences. As a ruler, King Hammurabi found Mesopotamia to be tremendously divided. 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