Immortality and Life's Progression

“There is no permanence.” Although simple and declarative, this statement is indicative of an ominous fate. As humans, we often have a tendency to ignore, whether purposefully or not, the inescapable nature of our destinies. However, eventually, all men and women are forced to acknowledge the fleeting nature of life.

In reality, death is not a one-time event. The fact that “there is no permanence” does not only apply to the physical existence of a person, but to the developmental phases of his or her entire lifespan. Life can be represented as a series of stages. From childhood and adolescence to adulthood and old age, life essentially exists as a progression of multiple different lives. Thus, in a way, people undergo several deaths during their lifetimes. As they age and become increasingly aware of the world around them, they also gradually lose their innocence. The process of maturity and development grant us more worldly wisdom, but simultaneously erase our blissful ignorance, signifying the death of a stage in life. Death itself is merely the final stage of human maturation – the realization that one will cease to physically exist.

The progression of human existence is made evident in The Epic of Gilgamesh through the character of Enkidu. As the epic begins, he is essentially non-human, living in the wild amongst the beasts of nature. However, he soon undergoes a series of transformations – he becomes human after having sex with the harlot, becomes a member of society after the shepherds’ feast, and becomes a meaningful component of society upon the commencement of his companionship with Gilgamesh. With each development comes a greater level of maturity for Enkidu: “…wisdom was in him, and the thoughts of man were in his heart.” (65) Paired with the growth of his wisdom is his loss of innocence as he evolves from an ignorant beast into an established member of human society. No longer is he unaware of humanity as he is as a beast, but he is a human being experiencing life’s progression.

The experience of Enkidu serves as an archetypal example of human life in general. As humans age, they constantly mature and become increasingly wise regarding society. On a daily scope, however, they are unaware of their constant growth. Not until months or years later, when they reflect on their past selves, do they become conscious of any changes that have occurred within them. Therefore, although people constantly undergo mental maturation, they become cognizant of change only through hindsight. Each small step in the process of human development can thus be viewed as a small death of innocence, but people only recognize the cumulative effect of the deaths after the fact.

This logic provides insight into how a human can persist sanely while being aware of his or her own mortality. Because people can only observe their own mental maturation after the accumulation of many mental developments, their minds at any one point in time appear to be static. Nobody undergoes substantial changes over the course of a week, but reflecting on previous years can reveal dramatic mental evolution. If developments occurred at a more rapid rate, one’s self concept would be ever-changing, preventing humans from truly understanding themselves as people. However, gradual growth allows us to experience the world from within a stable state of mind, allowing us to be aware of our own identities and giving us a certain ability to shape them over time. Therefore, humans know that they are mortal, but the seeming standstill of time prevents them from truly understanding mortality.

Although humans are unaware of their development on a daily basis, the awareness of mortality in general can also give people a sense of purpose in life. This sense of purpose manifests itself in different ways among people of different maturity levels. In order to understand the motivational effect of mortality, we can examine the character development of Gilgamesh. In his adolescent state of mind, Gilgamesh brazenly seeks immortality through glory, aiming to slay the infamous Humbaba to achieve fame: “I will set up my name where the names of famous men are written….” (72) After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh’s quest for immortality becomes more earnest. With a better grasp over the imminence of death, he seeks the secret of physical immortality from Utnapishtim, hoping to avoid the suffering he witnessed within the dying Enkidu. However, finally, Gilgamesh comes to terms with his mortality. Rather than seeking to evade his fate, he accepts his future and embraces the accomplishments he was able to achieve during his finite lifetime.

Gilgamesh’s goals resulting from his awareness of mortality are reflected in the attitudes of society as a whole towards death. Teenagers, like Gilgamesh in his adolescent state, have only a fleeting knowledge of mortality – they are aware that they will die, but they have little concern for their mortality at such a young age. Rather than attempting to understand mortality or worrying about death, they openly ignore their fates. Through fame, they believe, they can achieve immortality within society as a whole. As people age, however, they develop a greater concern for their futures. No longer able to ignore death, they instead attempt to defy it. While Gilgamesh denied the death of his younger self by attempting to obtain Utnapishtim’s immortality, modern society denies death through “midlife crises,” as middle-aged adults attempt to resurrect their past lives through lifestyle. At older ages, people tend to accept the fact that death is inevitable, reflecting on their past lives with gratitude or regret. Similarly, Gilgamesh eventually accepts mortality as he gazes upon Uruk, which was beautified though his own accomplishments.

Of all these stages of life, the old person is the only one who is truly understands the value of “enjoying the passage of time.” Their accrued wisdom of life brings them to comprehend the importance of appreciating the bliss of youthful ignorance. However, this wisdom also led to his or her loss of youth and innocence. The aged may wish that they had appreciated the level of ignorance they had during youth, but this same ignorance makes it impossible for children and teenagers to comprehend the simplicity of their lives. Therefore, each age group finds meaning in life and a sense of order based on its own specific level of “human knowledge.”

Heroism and Social Values

Why has defining the term "hero" been so elusive for humanity? Seemingly, every person has his or her own unique explanation for what they regard as a hero:

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."
-Christopher Reeve

"A hero is someone who rebels or seems to rebel against the facts of existence and seems to conquer them."
-Jim Morrison

"Who is a hero? He who conquers his urges."
-The Talmud

With so much variation in personal opinion, it is difficult to define a hero by any specific set of qualities or characteristics. However, the variation itself can help us to understand exactly how a hero is determined.

A hero is the embodiment of the values and characteristics which an individual or society as a whole values most. In other words, a hero cannot be statically defined by certain features, but is a reflection of a society's favored traits. Individuals will tend to have different heroes based on the qualities he or she treasures in a person. For example, Christopher Reeve would hold in high regard perseverance "in spite of overwhelming obstacles" because of his own struggles in overcoming physical disability. It makes sense that Jim Morrison would respect rebellion against the social status quo when considering his role as a counter-culture musician. In addition, the Talmud, a record of rabbinical interpretations of the Torah and of Jewish law, would logically value people who master their potentially sinful urges.

Similarly, in order to understand why society in general regards certain individuals as heroes, one must consider the qualities which society treasures most. Fictional characters are not heroes by virtue of being a main character, but because the characteristics which they demonstrate are valued by society. Odysseus can be considered a hero because of his perseverance in conquering innumerable obstacles in order to return to his family, highlighting the qualities of determination and dedication to family. Huck Finn, in protecting Jim from slave hunters, rejects conformity to oppressive surroundings, demonstrating his individuality and sense of justice. Both Luke Skywalker and Frodo both challenged evil and dominant forces (the Empire and Sauron, respectively) in selfless efforts to restore worldwide (or galaxy-wide) peace. Indiana Jones can even be considered a hero for his slyness and sass - potentially admirable qualities when in a good natured context.

A major factor contributing to the difficulty in defining a hero is that social values are not static. Some qualities, such as bravery, selflessness, and perseverance have remained generally constant. However, because other qualities can fall in and out of favor of society, the status of a person or character as a hero can change over time. The evolution of James Bond provides an interesting example. In the Sean Connery era, Bond was portrayed as a very intellectual agent with unlimited charm and an ability to outsmart his opponents. Pierce Brosnan, on the other hand, depicted a more action-oriented character and downplayed Bond's classic charm. While this may be a function of improved graphic effects to some extent, it also indicates that social values have evolved.

In addition, different factions within society can cherish different qualities. For example, public symbols such as John Lennon were looked up to by the hippie and anti-war movements for his message of peace, rejection of political status quo, and support of public disobedience and rallies. Conversely, conservative portions of society would deride Lennon for his defiance and derision of authority.

Certainly, it is possible for females to attain the title of a heroine. Women may exhibit valued qualities to the same (or to a greater) extent as men. However, heroines are less prominent than their male counterparts because we live in a male-centric society. Again, heroes are essentially reflections of our most celebrated social values. The result of living in a society dominated by males is that males will more frequently be seen to represent those values in fiction and in reality. Some individuals may even believe that being male is a desired trait in and of self. Consequently, being male may be part of their definition of a hero.

In recent times, as women have gained an increasing amount of social equality, heroines have become more popular. To return to the James Bond example, Halle Berre recently played an unorthodox role in which she was not only the quintessential "Bond girl," but she was also a sidekick to Bond in his operation. Since the Connery era, Bond had been portrayed as a clear womanizer, and the "Bond girl" would always be akin to a possession. Certainly, the proliferation of women's rights has made the heroin more prominent in society. However, the male hero continues to be more common in our male-dominated society.

It seems that, when Bertold Brecht said "Unhappy the land that needs heroes," he was essentially saying that the happiest society is one in which citizens need not follow a hero's actions to learn how to act. In other words, a happy society consists of people who can define their own virtues and follow them rather than adopting the characteristics of someone they may admire. However, to believe that society does or does not need heroes conflicts with the very nature of a hero. Because heroes arise from established social virtues, their emergence is inevitable. Brecht believed that the hero precedes the society, which subsequently bases its own virtues on the characteristics of the hero. In reality, society itself creates the hero based on the characteristics it treasures. Therefore, humanity does not "need" the hero, but inevitably creates the hero. In return, society's admiration of the hero reinforces their devotion to its fundamental values.