Hammurabi’s Code provides insight to the social structure’s and financial abilities of the classes, common man and gentlemen, and relationships of men with women. The Hammurabi Code emphasizes that some men are not equal to other men. But in the same light enforces the fact that common men do not have the financial means that of men of higher status. In code #215 and #216 of Hammurabi’s code it shows the understand met that men of the common class do not have the financial means of men in higher status, “If a physician make a deep incision upon a man with his bronze lancet and save the man’s life; or if he operate on the eye socket of a man with his bronze lancet and save that man’s eye, he shall receive ten shekels of silver.” (1st)“If it were a common man, he shall receive five shekels.”(2nd) With in Hammurabi’s Codes it seams to show how women are dependent upon men, and their status in their culture. Women were not to be blamed “If a man be taken captive and there be nothing to eat in his house and his wife enter into another house, that woman has no blame” (3rd). Women seamed to be treated with some regard to respect “If a man strike the daughter of a man and bring about a miscarriage, he shall pay ten shekels of silver for her miscarriage.” (4th)
The Gilgamesh Epic however does not provide insight on how women were regarded, as the Hammurabi’s Coed does, but does show the relationship between man and his Gods. The Gilgamesh Epic tells a tale of a man’s travels, adventures and quest to become immortal as his Gods were. In the excerpt in the book Documents in World History, from the Gilgamesh Epic Gilgamesh finds Per-napishtim. Per-napishtim was granted immortality by the Gods, for saving the plants and animals when the Gods decided to flood the earth. The deeds of Per-napishtim were of devoutness towards the God’s requests. The tale tells of Per-napishtim’s duty that was bestowed upon him by his God’s, Per-napishtim was to construct a boat and house all the animals and plants with in its hull. It provides insight on his rituals he preformed to the Gods, and seams to point out that man was not equal to his gods, but merely a lowly servant.
The Book of the Dead, speaks more on the passing on to another life. In particular ways to make the deceased pass the test of righteousness, through spells. The spells seamed to speak highly upon the Gods, as well as tell the gods that they were pure, and that they had not committed any sins. It showed that the men of Egypt were grateful towards their Gods, and were not equal to them, for they had to prove that they were without sin.
The Hebrew Bible gives strict rules, from God, to the followers of the Jewish religion. It tells man what he can and cannot do through the Ten Commandments and other supporting passages within the book. It tells man how to act, how to pay homage to God, and that other people who oppose his people and religion will be destroyed. The Hebrew Bible didn’t speak much on the social structure, economy much, but briefly spoke of women’s slavery treatment to some degree, and spoke heavily upon religious beliefs and practices. Stating that there was no other God besides the Jewish God, the followers of the religion were not to worship any other God. It told the Jewish people that their God could not be understood because of his greatness.
Women is sold into slavery, she may not go free as men could, if she was unpleasing to her master who had intended her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. If her master had treated her unfairly, he may not sell her to foreigners. If he gives her one of his sons, he must treat her as a daughter, if his son fancies another woman, the master must provide for the slave girl as if she was still with his son (Stearns Documents in World History 2003 pp. 23-34). Women had rights, but were not treated quite as equals with men.