Essay Questions

How does Innana show kindness in this story? Why does she condemn her husband as compensation to her sister?

Innana shows a great deal of kindness to those around her when she has to give a replacement to her sister as compensation for her release from the dead. For instance, when the demons want Ninshubur as compensation, she refuses since he was a faithful character to her having mourned and prayed for her as she had instructed before traveling to the underworld. Additionally, she saves Shara, Lulal for mourning her death and for exhibiting faith in her, respectively. On the other hand, her husband Dumuzid does not spare a moment to mourn for her, a circumstance that angers her seeing as he had had fun with his maids and did not care about mourning his wife. In this line, she condemns him to take her position in the underworld as a substitute for her release.

Mourning is brought out as quite central an event in this story. Is this assertion correct? Explain.

When Innana heads to the underworld to attend the burial ceremony of her sister’s husband, she is asked to strip a piece of her clothing as she passes through each of the seven palace’s seven gates. As a result, she arrives at her sister’s presence naked and angry. In her anger, Innana sits on her sister’s throne after which she is condemned to death. In her death, people mourn her. For instance, Ninshubur prays for her as she had instructed and mourns her death as do Shara and Lulal. On the other hand, Dumuzid enjoys his life without caring about mourning for his wife. When she returns, Innana uses mourning to favor the individuals who mourned her death and saves them from being taken into the underworld in her place as compensation to her sister. In this way, mourning is brought out as quite significant an event in the story.

Why does Innana travel to the Underworld? Is the reception she receives there befitting?

The sole reason behind Innana's decision to visit the Underworld is the death of her sister’s husband. Because of the dangerous nature of this venture, she asks Ninshubur to pray for her, perhaps, to facilitate her safe trip back. After she arrives at the gates of her sister’s palace, she is informed of the requirement that her sister had placed forth before she was allowed to enter the palace. She is required to strip her garments, one piece at each of the seven gates to the palace. She obliges but after stripping off all of her clothes, she arrives naked and angry in her sister’s presence. The reception that Innana receives is far from being a befitting one. What host asks their guests to strip at the gates? This event in itself suggests an attempt by her sister to shame her.