Utnapishtim Replies

Utnapishtim replies to Gilgamesh’s painful search for immortality with simplicity: “There is no permanence” (106).

Our world has always proved this statement to be true. There are so many examples of extinction, from the dinosaurs to the Neanderthals and everywhere in between. This means that even humanity is impermanent as well, although the thought of the entire human race disappearing is not one that frequently crosses most our minds.

When Gilgamesh hears Utnapishtim say this, he replies with disbelief and disappointment, saying that he sees no difference between his appearance and that of Utnapishtim, an immortal god. Today, every knowledgeable human knows that Utnapishtim’s statement is true and that all humans eventually die. Utnapishtim’s simple answer symbolizes life’s simplicity. You live, you die, the end. Death ultimately gives us meaning in life because it forces us to make our lives meaningful. People get up and go about their business every day because this world is fleeting and ephemeral. Some people sacrifice their own lives for causes that they think are important as a way to create a sense of order and eternal life. Examples of this are suicide bombers in Israel in the past and in Iraq more recently. They think the only way to establish any order is through violence, and their religion tells them that martyrdom leads to salvation in their afterlife or eternal life. However, there still are many who view the world in the opposite way: death scares them into hiding, and their fear keeps them from having any experiences that could make their lives meaningful. It’s like seeing the glass as half empty or half full; you can either use death to inspire you or to terrify and debilitate you.