Exclusion as Order

<p class="ql-align-justify">Through a comparative analysis of Aeschylus’ <em>The Oresteia</em> and the Babylonian epic <em>Enuma Elish</em>,<em> </em>this article examines the ways in which abjection shapes identity and reinforces patriarchal order. Reading through the lens of Kristeva’s theory of abjection, the study reveals deep psychological anxieties about dependence, separation, and individuation. It also reveals a fundamental underlying tension between the symbolic and the patriarchal on the one hand and the semiotic and the maternal on the other—a tension that culminates in the subjugation and rejection of maternal and feminine drives. The male heroes Orestes and Marduk, whose rise to power depends on the rejection and destruction of maternal figures like Clytemnestra and Tiamat, are central to this analysis. Similarly, Electra, Orestes’ sister, supports paternal authority and perpetuates the gendered dynamics of abjection as a coping mechanism in the face of maternal threat. The study illustrates that these narratives legitimize patriarchal sovereignty and stage universal psychological conflicts of identity formation by vilifying transgressive femininity. The findings highlight that the exclusion of the maternal is both a cultural and psychological necessity for establishing subjectivity as well as cultural law and order.</p>