(특집 : 세계의 여신신화) 이난나는 지하세계에 왜 내려갔나?

Abstract

Inanna is the most expansionist-minded of all the Mesopotamian goddesses. She is of course the most important goddess in the Mesopotamian pantheon and has the greatest number of myths surviving about her of any of the goddesses. In Akkadian literature, she is known as Ishtar. In Semitic terms, Ishtar, the 'Great Goddess', takes over the roles and attributes of a number of other major goddesses, such as mother-creatrix Nintu/Mani, and her name comes to be used generally to mean 'goddess.' The most well-known myth about her is Sumerian [Inanna's Descent to the Netherworld], which has Akkadian short version [Ishtar's Descent to the Netherworld]. By this journey she acquires netherworld powers. Though at first glance she appears to fail in her quest for power in the netherworld. It is, however, the initial defeat motif. The weakened goddess dies after sitting on Ereshkigal's throne, because she loft her upperworld power as a result of her descent through the gate. However, Inanna has a second string to her bow. She has prepared for this situation by her instructions to Nushubur. From this it is clear she did not intend to stay in the netherworld, but to ascent with power gained from netherworld. In ascending, Inanna achieved what nobody had ever before been able to do-to rise again, alive.