The Seven Tablets of Creation: The Enuma Elish

Marduk is the main character in the Enuma Elish. The son of the God Ea (Anu), Marduk does not appear in the myth until the storyline has been established and it’s clear that the gods of the Babylonian pantheon are in real danger and need an avenger, as King calls him, to save their lives. His relatively late appearance is probably a reflection of his more recent inclusion in the pantheon, which is probably tied to the emergence of Babylon as the preeminent regional city-state. Dutiful but also extremely savvy, Marduk is a brilliant strategist and tactician who uses the anger of his rival to his advantage. The desperation felt by the gods in the face of their possible annihilation allows Marduk to establish his own ground rules. His true brilliance isn’t revealed until after his adversary is vanquished and he sets about creating order from the chaos that previously existed. While Marduk has been given complete authority by the gods and he is tempted to punish them for their attitudes and behavior, he is amenable to the advice of his father. Instead of punishing the other gods, he creates human beings with the express intent that humanity will build shrines to the gods, worship, and serve them.