Purpose of the Structure

The tale of Inanna’s Descent to the underworld is a story written and told in a predominantly illiterate society, and the style of storytelling and literary devices used strongly reflect such a culture. Evidence of the legend’s purpose in society, whether it be instructional, explanative, or for entertainment objectives can be found throughout the text in the form of repetition and the author’s choice of wording.

As you read the story, one of the most striking features is the repetition of the specific phrases and expressions. In the ancient Summerian period, stories were told by word of mouth, and therefore entire stories had to be memorized. The repetition of phrases and words would serve as a memorization technique as well as a creating an emphasis for particular ideas that are particularly important. For example, the reiteration of everything that Inanna “forsook” to come to the Underworld serves to stress the idea that she has given up everything without truly considering the consequences. She follows her desires blindly with no true reason for her desertion of her city and disciples. And this later leads to disastrous consequences. This is a possible lesson that the storyteller wishes his audience to learn, leading to the idea that this is an instructional story meant to teach a specific moral, whether it be for religious purposes or merely relating a life lesson.

Further supporting the idea of an instructional purpose is found in the metrical progression of the poem. The text as a whole has a lyrical and almost rhythmic beat, as if it is meant to be read out loud, or at least is written as a record of a tale told verbally. The cadence hints at the idea that this story is to be performed, presumably to an audience. If this is indeed the case, then it would follow logically that the story told is meant either as a historical or educational lesson.

Inanna’s Greed

Inanna’s Descent tells the story of a goddess who is stricken with the sin of want and greed. Inanna, the main character of this piece, has her “heart set on the netherworld,” and the reader is reminded through extreme repetition of her desires. She ultimately decides to descend into Hades (properly dressed with gold and many defensive ornaments) in hopes of taking the “kingdom” from her sister, Ereshkigala.

This story serves to show that although powerful and immortal, gods are capable of irrational and immature actions just like humans. Apparently Ereshkigala was smart enough to see her sister’s desire and had Inanna’s godly attire removed before she was allowed to enter her gates. Thus Innana was nothing without her clothes and she was turned into a “slab of tainted meat.” Heavy repetition is used here to continuously remind the reader of Innana’s downfall (the many verses of the removal of her clothes) and maybe even of her blindness (due to her power-hungry greed) as she mindlessly continued though the gates that caused the removal of her clothing one piece at a time.

Her faithful servant Ninshubur and her grandfather rescue Inanna, but she must find a sacrifice for her wrong desires. She eventually chooses her own husband simply because he was the only person not in mourning for her own death (keep in mind that Inanna had instructed her servant s to mourn for her is something wrong was to happen to her during her descent). This shows how selfish Inanna is and how negative her sense of pride and importance is.

Inanna’s greed not only effects herself (she is killed for a brief period of time) but her “loved” ones as well. Although little can be said about her love for family, her husband was still her husband and she ultimately betrayed him. She not only ruined her husband, but she also caused her husband’s sister to have the same fate too. Although a goddess, Inanna was filled with many human emotions and such emotions caused the destruction of those around her.

Note:

Just what was the purpose of this story? I believe although humorous, it's over all intention was to educate people. Its repetitive lines and inclusion of morality would drill ideas into people and maybe teach them a lesson or two. It could also go further then morality; maybe this is a sort of explanation to why we have seasons or its purpose was to explain which of the gods were stronger then the others. All in all, I believe the humorous aspect of the story allows it to be easily read and remembered, thus making its lessons more memorable.

Inanna's Descent

It appears that the portrayal of Inanna in this myth is one of honesty. The writers or formulaters of this myth do not shy away from revealing aspects of Inanna's nature that are less than godly. She can be seen as disrespectful, arrogant and a traitor to her marriage. These characteristics are visible through actions such as getting dressed up elegantly for the funeral of her father-in-law and using her husband as a replacement for herself in the underworld. It is important to realize that this myth portrays goddesses with human-like qualities.

Another interesting aspect of Inanna's Descent is the relationship between Inanna and Ereshkigal. They are, in someways, opposing characters. Inanna is the Goddess of love and fertility while Ereshkigal is the goddess of death and the underworld. This poem shows and understanding and acceptance for death through its portrayal of Ereshkigal. In addition to death, there is a focus on life and rebirth. Inanna is brought back to life with the food and water of life. I believe that food and water of life are given great reverence and respect in this poem. Their power is emphasized and highlighted. This could tell us something about the culture from which these poems arise. Maybe food and water were scarce in the environment?

Inanna betrays her marriage by using her husband as a replacement for herself in the underworld. Eventually, Inanna's husband Dumuzi, is called to live in the underworld for half the year. The other half of the year is spent with Inanna. This symbolizes the seasons of the year. When Demuzi is in the underworld the world is infertile (fall/winter) and when Demuzi spends half the year with his wife, the earth is fertile (spring/summer). Inanna's descent is a myth that tells much about the culture it comes from. Not only are gods given human characteristics in this myth but a reader can also understand what ideas are valued in this society.

Inanna's Decent- An Entertaining "Lesson"

After reading the comments before the poem, one would think that the epic chain of events that are about to unfold are primarily used for the readers or the audiences entertainment. Even though it serves as an entertaining poem, it also serves as moral story by teaching its audiences not to be arrogant.

The first half of the story is written in constant repetition. The use of repetition at that time, in my option is very common, since most of the people then were not illiterate and probably needed multiple indications of the same thing to fully comprehend what was occurring in the story. The decent was a painstaking in itself. Not only did Inanna tell other gods of her journey she also had to wear multiple articles of clothing to guard her during her decent. The use of repetition is evident when the guards of the seven gates removed clothing after clothing from Inanna. Inanna constantly asked the same questions while the guards always gave the same answers.

The second half of the story is less repetitive and much more entertaining. The moral of the story is also much more evident in the second portion of the story. Inanna’s arrogance by trying to gain her sisters control of the underworld brought her to her demise. Also Inanna’s strip of clothing also symbolizes her downfall. From a beautifully adorned queen, she is stripped clothing after clothing and finally turned into a corpse. The important aspect that one could miss is that Inanna is a god and how even a god could be brought to her demise. This certainly would’ve gotten the people’s attention.

The poem serves as a very powerful warning delivered to the people in a very entertaining way. The repetitive first portion got the peoples attention while the second half of the story got people to behave correctly and shows how even a god can be brought down by arrogance.

A Two Sided Tale

The vast majority of stories told in today’s day and age uncompromisingly follow a single, distinct narrative style. The content of the tale, Inanna’s Descent, melds together as one cohesive piece, yet the style of writing and overall tone of the first and second parts of the story are completely discrete. While the first part of the story employs a great deal of repetition and imagery, the second section, while still employing some degree of repetition, follows a much more direct approach. The most unique and intriguing aspect of this mythological tale is the fact that it is a blend of two related, yet disparate stories folded together into one.
The first portion of the story, telling the narrative of Inanna’s wildly unsuccessful infiltration and attempted coup of the underworld from out of her sister’s grasp, utilizes an incredible degree of repetition, repeating whole phrases and paragraphs with only minute changes made to the text. This usage could be to reinforce certain ideas, for dramatic effect or style, or perhaps it is the composers attempt to relay the importance of certain key phrases. The repetition certainly does ensure the audience’s absorption of certain ideas. While the story continues onward keeping the same plot, a distinct transition of styles is made into the next section of the tale.
The second portion employs a more direct approach, and does not make use of nearly as much repetition. At first this seems welcome a relief from tedious reiteration, but it also is a much more convoluted text. Perhaps the repetition of the first section, especially considering the literary ability of the audience of that era, was designed specifically to ease its comprehension.
All in all, this tale was a fascinating one filled with remarkable imagery and most importantly a juxtaposition of two completely separate styles. It is fairly rare find a story written in this style, which of course along with its cultural value makes this myth a significant piece of literature.

Inanna's "Descent"

The story of Inanna’s Descent seems to be depicting the goddess’s not only physical descent into Hades, but also descent of her divinity and mystery that would separate the gods from humans. I found in the passage many instances of Inanna’s behavior, which resembled that of a human being. I noticed that the choice of words in the story reflects the actions or emotions that we people would face. I did not view Inanna’s Descent as the literal descent into the underworld, but as the fall of her goddess image and the atmosphere of mystery and wonder that usually describes a deity.

In the story, Inanna is a goddess, which is usually symbolizes a mystical supreme being. In preparation for the coup d'état, she is, by the writer, garnished with extravagant ornaments, such as “gold bracelets,” “lapis lazuli and yoked oval stone beads,” and “the robe of office, the robe of queenship.” Inanna seemed very confidant and powerful as I read the beginning, especially with her breast-shields named, “O man, come hither, come hither!” However, she starts to show signs of uncertainty and fear when Inanna talks to her servant, Ninshubur. She gives certain orders just in case she does not make it back from the underworld. While some of them, such as “resounding wailings” and “sounding the tambourine” seemed obvious, Inanna’s order to ask for help from the other deities made me doubt her. Before she entered the underworld, Inanna had fear of never coming back, which I never thought a supreme being would ever have.

More signs of human nature in Inanna are revealed during her journey through the underworld. As Neti, Hades’ chief gatekeeper, one by one strips Inanna of the seven pieces of her lavish outfit, she constantly asks, “Why was that?” Gate by gate, Inanna seems to be feeling doubt and worry, as she slowly loses her powers. Even before the Anunnaki kills her, I thought Inanni had lost most of her deity image.

Inanni seems to “descend” to her lowest level when she experiences the most human-like emotion, envy. When she discovers that Dumuzi, her husband, had “dressed in grand garment and sat seated in grandeur,” she had a death glare in her eyes, “a look to kill.” Upset over the fact that her husband did not mourn for her when she had disappeared for three days and nights, she ordered Dumuzi to be killed right away.

Throughout the story, Inanna gradually loses her appearance and air of a goddess, showing human emotional behavior. I thought the “descent” seemed to resemble the fall of Inanna’s status from of deity to of an ordinary human being.

"Inanna's Descent" as a Piece of Entertainment

The foreword for “Inanna’s Descent” claims that this story was told orally for entertainment. If that was indeed the case, this myth serves its purpose well. First of all, its style is well suited for a live performance because it is easy to follow and pleasant to listen to. Also, its content is likely to hold the audience’s attention because it is related to familiar things from everyday experience.
There is purposely a lot of repetition in this story, which serves two purposes in an oral performance. Since the audience is listening for entertainment, they are likely not paying that close attention and will probably miss some things. Even then, they will not miss important parts of the story because those important lines are repeated. In addition to helping the audience follow the story, the repetition makes it more pleasing to the ear. The redundant lines give the poem a rhythm that makes it seem almost musical. In the beginning, I did not have a particular interest in the story itself, but I enjoyed reading it because of its repetitive form. Just like it must have drawn in the audiences for which it was performed, it held my attention and made me appreciate the story more.
This does not apply to us today, but the original audiences must have enjoyed listening to “Inanna’s Descent” because many parts of the story were relevant to their everyday lives. The temples that were mentioned probably physically existed. Then, the story would give meaning to those temples. As Black claims, the “experience of the real physical landscapes of their daily lives would have been transfigured by their own familiarity with that literature” (60). For example, E-engur would not merely be a temple to them, it would be the place where the god Enki helped Inanna escape from the netherworld. Inanna’s story might have appealed to shepherds because her butchering and return with the water and grass reflects one year in the life of a flock of sheep. These familiar things help keep the story grounded, while it is still mythical.