It is fascinating how the world has changed from the beginning of the ages until what we call modern time. The situation each human often finds his/herself in is often a response to one’s social status or in many cases their gender. This is especially true for women. All throughout history women have found themselves in many different roles, and those roles have changed from the beginning of written history as one will find in the story “The Descent of Inanna” Inanna finds her role as the Queen of Heaven leads her down a path very unlike those of a domesticated woman.
She represents the role of woman in another place and time in her role as Queen. She represents woman’s knowledge in war, sexuality, and as the holders of power men of which could only dream. First of all, Inanna embodies woman as a warrior. While she prepares to descend to the underworld, she speaks to Ninshubur, and she discusses what Ninshubur should do if she does not return in three days’ time Inanna describes Ninshubur as “My warrior who fights by my side” (29) which shows that Inanna is one who takes up arms whether on the battlefield or in the war room.
Very few women in history have had an opportunity to become great warriors. By even attempting to enter the abyss, one could contend that she is well versed in war, and she is fearless. Again Inanna shows the warrior within when she takes the galla to Dumuzi, she shows how strong she is when she “fastened on Dumuzi the eye of death’ and ‘She [speaks] against him the word of wrath.
The Essay on Women’s roles within the History Boys
Dramatic comedy often sees the woman take on a role of insignificance. They become the prey, the desired possession and are not seen as equal beings to male characters. This has been apparent throughout history from the very birth of comedy. Plautus for example developed his comedy from the Greek’s new comedy and so also inherited a bias against woman. Any female that did appear within his ...
She uttered against him the cry of guilt” (38) Just as women through out history have had to be fearless and trained in war from Cleopatra to Hilary Clinton, Inanna is the embodiment of all women’s desire to stand up to the repression they face everyday. Next, Inanna symbolizes woman’s sexuality. The fact that Inanna is the goddess of fertility gives her the advantage over most others in that she is viewed as all that is sexual. She is unlike all other deities in history. No one sees her as the normal subdued women but as something all together beyond.
It shows when she descends to the underworld, and she is stripped of all her worldly possessions. She is so secure in her sexuality that even though she questions why she is being stripped she is confident in her self, and she continues on “Naked and bowed low, Inanna entered the throne room” (33).
Just as man has tried to subdue women over the past 2000 years by keeping them in the home, or covered from head to toe, Inanna is the embodiment of everything that is good in a woman from the fruit she bears from her body to power she holds over man.
Lastly, Inanna represents women as the holder of powers that most men never could hold. Not only does she control the Me, which represents all the gifts of mankind and could signify women’s ability to have children one of her other powers is she had the authority to walk past those whom she chose not to replace with herself in the abyss. For instance, “The galla said: ‘Walk on, Inanna, We will take Ninshubur in your place. ’ (37) Inanna had the authority here to say, “No! Ninshubur is my constant support (37) and the galla allowed Inanna to walk on.
In the end, she was allowed to choose who took her place, and this shows how even though she may not have been completely in control at the moment, she still had more power than most men could ever dream. She had control over her own destiny and those of others. In conclusion, Inanna could represent any woman who has the influence to mold her children, her family, or her life. “The Descent of Innanna” describes women’s roles in war, sex, and power. It shows how in the beginning they were revered for simply being, and how their roles have changed throughout the centuries.
