Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum
<p>This thesis interprets literary allusions in three major Babylonian narrative poems: <em>Anzû</em>, <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, and <em>Erra and Išum</em>. The use of the term 'intertextuality' recognises that these readings do not necessarily attempt...
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| Formato: | Thesis |
| Idioma: | English |
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2014
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| _version_ | 1826305867841011712 |
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| author | Wisnom, L |
| author2 | Reynolds, F |
| author_facet | Reynolds, F Wisnom, L |
| author_sort | Wisnom, L |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p>This thesis interprets literary allusions in three major Babylonian narrative poems: <em>Anzû</em>, <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, and <em>Erra and Išum</em>. The use of the term 'intertextuality' recognises that these readings do not necessarily attempt to reconstruct what the authors were thinking, but are based empirically on what can be found in the text, and that multiple interpretations are possible. The methodology used has been drawn from scholarship on Latin and Greek literature.</p> <p>The aim is not only to identify relationships to other poems but also to consider what these mean, closely analysing the similarities and differences in order to draw out each allusion’s full significance. A wide variety of allusive techniques have been found, showing great depth, complexity, and sophistication. Chapter One finds that <em>Anzû</em> alludes to <em>Lugal-e</em>, <em>Labbu</em>, <em>Atraḫasīs</em>, <em>The Return of Lugalbanda</em>, and <em>balaĝ</em>-laments. Chapter Two explores allusions in <em>Enūma Eliš</em> to <em>Anzû</em>, which depict Marduk as the new Ninurta. Chapter Three analyses allusions in <em>Enūma Eliš</em> to <em>Atraḫasīs</em>, which contribute to Marduk's superseding of Enlil. Chapter Four studies allusions in <em>Enūma Eliš</em> to <em>Lugal-e</em>, finding that Marduk's restoration of order after the battle owes as much to Ninurta's precedent as does the battle itself. Chapter Five examines allusions in <em>Erra and Išum</em> to <em>Anzû</em> and <em>Lugal-e</em> which present Išum as a new Ninurta, and Erra as a chaotic <em>Anzû</em> figure. Chapter Six considers allusions in <em>Erra</em> to <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, <em>Atraḫasīs</em>, and <em>Gilgameš</em>, which work together to show the cosmic order unravelling. In many of these examples, the relationship is a competitive one, where <em>Anzû</em>, <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, and <em>Erra</em> each conspicuously out-do the protagonists of the poems which came before them. Chapter Seven finds that the underlying structure of <em>Erra and Išum</em> parallels that of <em>The Lamentation over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur</em>, and argues it is deliberate, which raises intriguing questions about the continuity of Sumerian city laments after the Old Babylonian period. Thus it is demonstrated that allusion is a vital part of Akkadian poetics, and that close-reading Akkadian texts unlocks deeper meaning within them.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T06:39:22Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oxford-uuid:f8bccacb-e9ea-426c-b722-13f1a536a41c |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T06:39:22Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:f8bccacb-e9ea-426c-b722-13f1a536a41c2022-03-27T12:52:41ZIntertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and IshumThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:f8bccacb-e9ea-426c-b722-13f1a536a41cNear EastCuneiformLiteratures of other languagesEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2014Wisnom, LReynolds, F<p>This thesis interprets literary allusions in three major Babylonian narrative poems: <em>Anzû</em>, <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, and <em>Erra and Išum</em>. The use of the term 'intertextuality' recognises that these readings do not necessarily attempt to reconstruct what the authors were thinking, but are based empirically on what can be found in the text, and that multiple interpretations are possible. The methodology used has been drawn from scholarship on Latin and Greek literature.</p> <p>The aim is not only to identify relationships to other poems but also to consider what these mean, closely analysing the similarities and differences in order to draw out each allusion’s full significance. A wide variety of allusive techniques have been found, showing great depth, complexity, and sophistication. Chapter One finds that <em>Anzû</em> alludes to <em>Lugal-e</em>, <em>Labbu</em>, <em>Atraḫasīs</em>, <em>The Return of Lugalbanda</em>, and <em>balaĝ</em>-laments. Chapter Two explores allusions in <em>Enūma Eliš</em> to <em>Anzû</em>, which depict Marduk as the new Ninurta. Chapter Three analyses allusions in <em>Enūma Eliš</em> to <em>Atraḫasīs</em>, which contribute to Marduk's superseding of Enlil. Chapter Four studies allusions in <em>Enūma Eliš</em> to <em>Lugal-e</em>, finding that Marduk's restoration of order after the battle owes as much to Ninurta's precedent as does the battle itself. Chapter Five examines allusions in <em>Erra and Išum</em> to <em>Anzû</em> and <em>Lugal-e</em> which present Išum as a new Ninurta, and Erra as a chaotic <em>Anzû</em> figure. Chapter Six considers allusions in <em>Erra</em> to <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, <em>Atraḫasīs</em>, and <em>Gilgameš</em>, which work together to show the cosmic order unravelling. In many of these examples, the relationship is a competitive one, where <em>Anzû</em>, <em>Enūma Eliš</em>, and <em>Erra</em> each conspicuously out-do the protagonists of the poems which came before them. Chapter Seven finds that the underlying structure of <em>Erra and Išum</em> parallels that of <em>The Lamentation over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur</em>, and argues it is deliberate, which raises intriguing questions about the continuity of Sumerian city laments after the Old Babylonian period. Thus it is demonstrated that allusion is a vital part of Akkadian poetics, and that close-reading Akkadian texts unlocks deeper meaning within them.</p> |
| spellingShingle | Near East Cuneiform Literatures of other languages Wisnom, L Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum |
| title | Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum |
| title_full | Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum |
| title_fullStr | Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum |
| title_short | Intertextuality in Babylonian narrative poetry: Anzû, Enūma Elish, and Erra and Ishum |
| title_sort | intertextuality in babylonian narrative poetry anzu enuma elish and erra and ishum |
| topic | Near East Cuneiform Literatures of other languages |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wisnoml intertextualityinbabyloniannarrativepoetryanzuenumaelishanderraandishum |