Loyalty & Dishonor
Inanna's descent into the Underworld is motivated by the desire to mourn for her sister's recently deceased husband. To her, this act of mourning is the ultimate demonstration of loyalty and honor. When she is killed and revived, Inanna returns to the regular world and must choose a person to take her place in her sister's domain, as a sacrifice. Impressed by the honor which her three servants have shown in continuously mourning her death, Inanna spares each of them. Their grief has proved their love for her. In contrast, Inanna is incensed by her husband's lack of concern. He has immediately moved on with his life, forgetting about his wife. Without mourning once, he has demonstrated the utmost dishonor and insulted Inanna. Consequently she condemns him to be her sacrifice.
Humiliation
Ereshkigal is insulted by Inanna's brash arrival before her kingdom's gates. Inanna knows that she is not allowed to enter unless being summoned as a messenger, so her presence is upsetting to her older sister. She represents a powerful threat to Ereshkigal who acts accordingly. She instructs the gatekeeper to systematically humiliate her sister by demanding she remove an article of clothing at each gate. Stripped of her magic and her beautiful, regal apparel, Inanna final stand before her sister's throne still more powerful in her naked shame. Ereshkigal is so humiliated by her sister's beauty that she willingly relinquishes her seat in the throne to her sister, despite possessing all the authority in this situation. Her attempt to humiliate her sister has resulted in her own humiliation because Inanna is a powerful, respectable goddess.
Petition to the Gods
The prayers of the characters in this story are powerful. In each instance of prayer -- Ninshubur, Inanna, Geshtinanna, and Sirtur -- the gods hear and relent, honoring the communication of their subjects. For Inanna, this means resurrection at the hands of Enki who creates more life to spare her own life. Similarly, the petitions of Geshtinanna and her mother are answered by the appearance of the fly to guide them to Dumuzid. For each of these characters, their humility to admit powerlessness and the necessity of the gods' aid is rewarded bountifully and in unsuspected ways.
