Reading about Oannes was really insightful because it gave me perspective on the role that “hybrid” half-sea-half-human creatures played in Babylonian history. The myth of Oannes is a beautiful one because in my opinion, it teaches us to view and respect other creatures in a more positive light compared to how these creatures were depicted in Western history. To go deeper into this idea, we are taught to fear anything that is “foreign” and may have more power than what we humans do. The depiction of Oannes as a knowledgeable teacher of all things and wisdom, teaches us to have a more positive perception on creatures that are more powerful. Instead of fearing them, we can accept and embrace them to learn more and gain higher access to knowledge.

To compare, we learned from the first few readings that we did that the church used the concept of these hybrid creatures as a way to attract a larger following. The depiction of these creatures reflected misogynistic views of women being associated with sin, seduction, vein, and death. On the other hand, the depiction of Oannes is associated largely with wisdom, knowledge, and godly stature. This reflects the role that literature plays in our environment because it shows the different cultural, political, and social standing that existed by how these two time periods portrayed this hybrid creature.