Enuma Elish Analysis

Through the Enuma Elish and Thorkild Jacobsen's interpretation of the Enuma Elish, one beings to understand the linearity of the development of the gods. Beginning from the primordial beings, Abzu and Tiamat, the sweetwater and the ocean water. The infinite expanses which fills the void of nothingness. It is not until their intermingling the next pair of primordial beings Lahamu and Lahmu are created. Lahamu the primordial daughter and her brother Lahmu who are suggested to represent a sea-bed of silt, but more accurately are known to be the representations of the zodiac or constellations. These beings fill the nothingness with the first semblances of something other than just the two waters. From the silt, the first land masses can be created …show more content…
Whether the change is preemptive or reactive, this change is always brought about through the characteristic known as fear. In Atrahasis, Enki feared for his creations, and desired that they continue to live. While Enlil, although sympathetic to the desires of the other gods, still feared for his potential loss in position, thus spurring the creations of humans. In the end, the gods were starving, and Atrahasis made an offering and proved that the gods needed humans if they wanted to continue to avoid doing the work, Enlil still implemented ways to maintain the population of the humans, out of fear of their resurgence in numbers. Similarly in the Enuma Elish, The gods came together out of fear of Tiamat, creating governing bodies in which to create a plan to defeat Tiamat, and spread the blame in case of disaster. The gods flocked behind Marduk as he offered them a scapegoat, and placed their hopes that one god alone could defeat the primordial chaos. While Marduk's power grew, so did his influence. After releasing the god who originally sided with Tiamat, they groveled at his feet begging forgiveness for fear that they would be next after witnessing the death of Quingu. Nothing worthwhile is ever accomplished without fear, and it is through the constant repetition of this fear that the author is trying to convince the need to embrace fear in order to create something meaningful. It is uncharacteristic of a god to show fear, however it is that very fear that allows the connection and universality of the epics of Atrahasis, and the Enuma Elish to be able to impact so deeply even though these tales were created thousands of years