Throughout studies of ancient civilizations, the place of women seems to be similar, but across a wide range of roles; like in the tales of Medea and Gilgamesh. Both tales tell their own views on women, but also show each woman at her best and worst: the common, the priestess, the prostitute, the wise woman or simply an evil witch. By analyzing and contrasting each woman, one can see the perspective of women in ancient societies through how the stories detail them and their defining actions. During each of the tales, there is only one example of the ordinary woman. Ordinary women seem resigned to their fate, having similar morals and making no real effort to change the way they live. Moreover, they do not act according to their words, but act more according to common sense. Gilgamesh simply shows the contentment of the ordinary girl by looking at them on their wedding day, when Gilgamesh receives the bride's virginity before the groom. “The Bride was ready for Gilgamesh as for a god, she waited in her bed...to forget her husband and open herself to the king” (Mitchell, 89). In Medea we have the Women of Corinth; more complicated women who act only as chorus and have little power to alter the plot. They gather around Medea, pleading with her and sympathizing with her. They remain inactive and only speak with emotions and ideals corresponding to superficial levels of their status as women and wives. At the beginning, when Medea was only a wronged woman, Jason is chastised (as would be appropriate if a man committed adultery): "Yet I think... that you have betrayed your wife and that you act badly. (Euripides, 19). However, later in the play, when Medea reveals her intention to kill her children, they simply plead with her: "I wish to both help you and support the normal ways of my...... middle of paper... ...e Gods at home: The Bull of Heaven. His reckless behavior caused the bull to descend to Earth and cause hundreds of deaths and years of famine; all because Gilgamesh told her the truth about her flirtations. It even caused the death of Enkidu, since the two friends killed the Bull as he attacked. These deaths were the result of his own vain actions and lust. Even though the sexual aspects of a woman are among the most influential, there are still the main examples of the feminine gender; generally linked to their role as mothers. In these two stories we have the extremes of the wife and the mother. There is the wise and caring mother, Ninsun. Then there is evil, Medea herself. Works Cited Mitchell, Stepehn, trans. Gilgamesh a new English version. New York: Free, 2004. Print.Euripides. Medea. Trans. Rex Warner. London: Bodley Head Limited, 1944. Print.