A Mortal

’s Sense Of Immortality Essay, Research Paper

A Mortal s Sense of Immortality

To fear death is to fear life itself. An overbearing concern for the end of life not only leads to much apprehension of the final moment but also allows that fear to occupy one s whole life. The only answer that can possibly provide relief in the shadow of the awaited final absolution lies in another kind of absolution, one that brings a person to terms with their irrevocable mortality and squelches any futile desire for immortality. Myths are often the vehicles of this release, helping humanity to accept and handle their mortal and limited state. Different cultures have developed varying myths to coincide with their religious beliefs and give reprieve to their members in the face of irrevocable death. The same is true for the stories in the Book of Genesis and the Mesopotamians Epic of Gilgamesh. In these two myths similar paths are taken to this absolution are taken by the characters of Adam and Gilgamesh, respectively. These paths, often linked by their contradictions, end with the same conclusion for each man on the subject of immortality; that no amount of knowledge or innocence, power or humility, honoring or sinning, will achieve them immortality in the sense of a life without death. Eternal life for a mortal lies in memory by one s friends and family after one s death.

When Adam is created in the second chapter (and second creation story) of Genesis out of the dust by the newly created world of God, he is the most innocent being ever known. It says of he and Eve, they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:24) , and why should they be, having no knowledge that their state was indecent. The opposite is true for Gilgamesh, who Anu grants the totality of knowledge of all (Gilgamesh 3) . Through the course of the epic we discover that Gilgamesh indeed does not have knowledge of all things, namely a grasp upon death. Adam does not even know that such a thing exists, thus his life, without the threat of death hanging overhead, is originally one of tranquility, happiness, and perfection. He is humble before his Lord God, with whom he shares the unique relationship of aiding him in His creation of all things. Adam s life is full in this passive innocence and he has no need for anything more until something forbidden and mysterious is presented to him. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, as in a state of unrest. He seeks to justify his existence through the attainment of widespread fame and unmatched power. Nothing is said of his thoughts on death before he meets his soul-mate Enkidu, but one can draw from the utter fear and turmoil Gilgamesh feels after the passing of Enkidu that he thought his might and accomplishments placed him above the rules and limits of other mortals.

It is somewhat surprising to me how readily Adam eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge, given his present blissful existence. The temptation of being on the same intellectual level as God in knowing both good and evil appears to be too much for Adam and his wife. Most likely their profound innocence also leaves them somewhat weak, and since before eating of the tree they know not what evil is, they couldn t possibly know of the consequences of their crime and the severity of God s punishment. His exile of the pair from the Garden of Eden seems to be out of fear (or perhaps this was not what his plan was for man) as well as disappointment and rage, for He says in Genesis 4:22, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever , and thus Adam and his wife are exiled. Their sin to achieve self-awareness has robbed them of any hope of immortality and presented them with the dilemma of death. Gilgamesh experiences death firsthand as his dear friend Enkidu, with whom he conquered all fears of dying while in battle with Humbaba, and is thus once again plunged in the shadow of fear of life s end. This dread, revisited, comes about as the indirect result of his insubordination in the face of his gods and their punishment of his partner in crime, Enkidu. Seeing his beloved companion dead brings Gilgamesh to the realization that, I am going to die! am I not like Enkidu.! Deep sadness penetrates my core, I fear death, and now roam the wilderness (Gilgamesh 75). This is a stark contrast to his earlier thoughts, as illustrated when speaking to Enkidu before they face Humbaba, saying, Your heart should burn to do battle pay no heed to death, do not lose heart , and, A slippery path is not feared by two people who help each other. Twice three times A three-ply rope cannot be cut. The mighty lion two cubs can roll him over (Gilgamesh 37) . Gilgamesh s earlier belief that immortality may be attained through fame is destroyed upon seeing Enkidu, his partner in glory, dead and gone. He is forced to accept that he is as all man are; bound by the certain fate of life coming to an end. Death and its finality is now a bleak reality, and thus he sets out on a journey to find eternal life in some other form, much like Adam s exodus from the Garden of Eden.

Existence in the wilderness is not easy for Adam or Gilgamesh. Adam has been stripped of having his every need met, his time unrestrained, and is now forced to provide for himself as a result of his sin. Gilgamesh s earlier glory is n