Utnapishtim Replies

Utnapishtim is telling Gilgamesh that he has to accept the fact that he is a mortal and is bound to die eventually. Everywhere we look – books, poems, plays, movies, etc. – death is a prominent theme. It seems as if everywhere we look death is mentioned, even though the majority of people look at it as one of the worst aspects of life. Even in Gilgamesh, he takes so many risks just for a quest to gain immortality. Only after he does not succeed in this mission does he realize that even though he will die, people will always remember him. After all, we’re still talking about him thousands of years after he was around. People remember Gilgamesh and people like him, fictional or not, because he was a significant influence during his life. He made the best out of the years he had on Earth. The reason people get up and go about their business is because they know their time is limited; they should make the best out of what they have. In fact, I believe that if people were immortal, they would be less likely to make the best out of the time they have. People would put things off because they knew they had and eternity to get what they want, and eternity is a long time. Humans create a sense of order and eternal life by making an impact on others while they are alive. Even though William Shakespeare is long gone, his works will be remembered forever. For the rest of our history, the names Romeo and Juliet will always have remarkable significance. Isaac Newton may have constructed his theories concerning the physics of celestial bodies hundreds of years ago, but they are prominent in modern physics and will always be known for revolutionizing our view of the cosmos. Human beings eventually die, but every positive impact they made in the time they spent on Earth will live forever.