Gender inversion in the ancient poetry of heroic pairs

Abstract

Gender is an important feature in the classical ancient Near Eastern warrior poetry involving the warrior pairs, Achilles and Patroklos, David and Jonathan, and Gilgamesh and Enkidu. In the literature dedicated to these heroes, women stand at the edge of the hero’s life, while the relationship of the two close companions remains central. In Gilgamesh, women, the goddess and the heroic pair form a series of relationships that drives the narrative. In contrast to Gilgamesh, the Iliad is well stocked with both gods and goddesses, yet none is the opponent or adversary of the hero. The biblical story of David is entirely different in lacking a goddess. Within the web of these relationships are a number of interesting inversions in terms of gender roles. Most goddesses exhibit the same roles as women in human society, but in a number of important instances, there is an inversion for goddesses relative to their human female counterparts. The essay also addresses the issue of whether or not Gilgamesh and Enkidu engage in sexual relations as well as the significance of sexual imagery in Gilgamesh.