Ishtar is the goddess of love and war, meaning that she has much power in the community. Yet who would expect this person of great importance to be such an awful person? She lies, cheats, and breaks the rules. And when she asks Gilgamesh to marry her, one can only expect rejection.
In Inanna's descent, the author talks about putting on all of the jewelry, makeup and costumes (( http://www.yasivmarin.com/blog/uploaded_images/makeup-kit-708299.jpg )) as a way to make yourself look more beautiful, improving your overall appearance. But is it really that? In my opinion, all of Ishtar's fancy gold and jewelry that she is forced to take off is just a cover up. A cover up of who she really is. Ishtar feels safe behind all of the glitz and glamour. Yet when she is forced to remove her facade of gold (( http://www.aceros-de-hispania.com/image/medieval-armors/gold-colored-armor.jpg )), she is completely exposed. Her true self shines through, with nothing left to hide behind. Ishtar is weak and powerless, feeling lost and scared. She reminds me of some of the celebrities today, who rely on the people who dress them and doll them up for public appearances. They would never dream of being seen without all of their coverups. The lifestyle that Ishtar and all of these celebrities lead seems to be one with no real depth. Friendships don't go deeper than filming a movie together, and relationships don't go deeper than one night stands.
It seem that Gilgamesh was correct in saying all of the nasty traits about Ishtar in his rejection song. She really is "a broken cup, stained and gray." Quote from page 37.(( http://www.webhowl.net/prophecy/broken_mug.jpg )) No longer able to serve her purpose, her image tainted by her shameful past.
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