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Tablet 1
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Enuma Elish, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Order, Civilization, and Religion
The Sovereignty of Marduk
Chaos vs. Council
Feminine Power and Subjugation
Summary
Analysis
Tiamat assembles the army of fearsome creatures, doing “even more evil for posterity than Apsu.” Meanwhile, Ea hears about what’s going on and is “dumbfounded.” After thinking for a while, Ea approaches his father, Anshar, and tells him what Tiamat is planning. Their mother Tiamat, he explains, has rejected her children—“she has convened an assembly and is raging out of control.”
While Apsu had intended evil by planning to destroy his offspring, Tiamat surpasses him by actively preparing for war against them. Instead of doing the work proper to a god by governing and preserving order among creation, Tiamat is “out of control”—instead of caring for her creation, she seeks to unmake it.
Themes
Ea recites the precise words and sequence of events that took place in the previous tablet, recounting the gods’ “[convening] a council and [creating] conflict,” Tiamat’s creation of fearsome creatures, and her promotion of Qingu as commander. When Anshar hears this account, he is distraught. Anshar tells Ea that because he started the fight by slaying Apsu, he’s responsible for cleaning up the mess.
Ea’s recitation of events accords with a ritual, dramatic rendering of the creation epic—repeating key lines so as to instill the story of Tiamat’s actions in hearers’ memories. Anshar, in a markedly fatherly manner, tells his son that he needs to deal with the problem he’s created.
Themes
In reply, Ea speaks “soothing […] words of appeasement” to his father Anshar, reasoning with him that, given the monsters’ existence, he doesn’t have a chance of defeating Qingu. But Anshar assures Ea that he’s unbeatable and sends him Tiamat’s way. Ea goes to observe Tiamat’s strategy, but soon reports back to Anshar that the goddess was too much for him; his spell was too weak for her, and Tiamat’s noise too frightening. He says that Anshar must send someone else and that, after all, “however strong a woman’s strength, it is not equal to a man’s.”
Even though women are categorically portrayed as being weaker than men, Tiamat is described as being incredibly powerful, too intimidating even for the wisdom, well-crafted spells, and strength of Ea, one of the greatest of gods. This exchange sets up the imminent rise of Marduk. Ea’s admitted inability to defeat Tiamat also supports the elevation of the Babylonian Marduk and the Sumerian Ea’s fading into the background.
Themes
At this report, Anshar is speechless with despair. The rest of the gods assemble and consider the situation in silence, then wonder aloud, “Is fate fixed? Will no one go out to face Tiamat?” Then Ea encourages Marduk the Hero to approach Anshar. Marduk does, and Anshar’s mood immediately changes from trepidation to joy.
The contrast between Anshar’s despair and his sudden joy at Marduk’s appearance sets the tone for the rest of the epic: the hero has entered the scene to rescue the other gods from their seemingly helpless impasse.
Themes
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Marduk urges Anshar to send him to face Tiamat, even though Anshar is hesitant, reminding him how intimidating “Tiamat of womankind” can be. Marduk assures Anshar that he will soon “set [his] foot upon the neck of Tiamat.” Anshar then charges Marduk to “set forth immediately in the storm chariot.” Marduk, rejoicing, asks that, if he is to be the gods’ champion, Anshar “convene [a] council” and “name a special fate.” Marduk declares that “My own utterance shall fix fate […] The decree of my lips shall never be revoked.”
Though Anshar still quails before Tiamat’s terror, Marduk is confident, and Anshar willingly sends him forth in the storm chariot (storms were one of the things Marduk was associated with as a god). But first Marduk desires the recognition of the council of the gods. Significantly, though, Marduk doesn’t require the gods to “fix fate” on his behalf—his own speech creates his destiny, clearly demonstrating his superiority over the other gods.
Themes
