Comparison of The Enuma Elish and The Creation of the Universe and Ife Lyndsey Call 12th Grade

The eternal struggle between optimism and pessimism is never more apparent than in the comparison of the creation myths of the Yoruba and the Babylonians, The Creation of the Universe and Ife and The Enuma Elish respectively. Humanity springs forth in much the same manner in each story: starting with a world of water and the determination of a single god. Though the structure of both myths is relatively similar, a difference in tone is immediately distinguishable. By studying the motivations of the creator gods, the types of human beings created, and the relationship between the gods and their people, we can see that the societies of Babylon and Yoruba differ more than they resemble each other in regards to culture and world view.

The concept of servitude itself is apparent in both myths, but takes drastically different embodiments in each. The gods of the Enuma Elish, the highest authorities of Babylonian culture, created human beings to serve. Marduk, the great hero, says, “I will create a savage and call him ‘man.’ His job will be to serve the gods so they can rest at ease” (10). This ideal stands as an inevitability in the span of a life, much as death is an unavoidable reality. To believe that death is the only reward for...