At first glance, both pieces of advice appear to advocate for the same idea, that mortals should focus on enjoying their life to the fullest extent. Both segments advise enjoying material pleasures such as food, drink, comfortable clothing, and finding a partner. This is to teach the reader to appreciate the life they have and prepare for the inevitability of death. Ecclesiastes‘ section ends differently from the one from Gilgamesh, emphasizing that there is no work or knowledge after death; therefore, everything in life should be approached with all available energy. However, Gilgamesh does not have any details on what follows death, only advice on what to do in life (Sandars, 1972). Both texts taught me the importance of experiencing life and making peace with the concept of death.
Moreover, the central motif of the epic is the notion of mortality. Gilgamesh struggles to understand that, even as a king, he will need to face the fact of his death. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is so troubled that he attempts to find Utnapishtim to receive the desired immortality (Sandars, 1972). However, Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that the search for immortality is hopeless. He reasoned that each creation carries the grain of death, making it inevitable. The part of the poem that recalls the advice given by Siduri focuses on the idea that an essential part of one’s existence is enjoying life every day. Thus, Gilgamesh comes back to Uruk having determined that the state of one’s life is estimated not by wealth or fame, but by the quality of time while living. Therefore, Gilgamesh finds immortality important initially because of his intense fear of death, but later, he realizes the importance of loving life.
Reference
Sandars, N. K. (1972). The epic of Gilgamesh: An English version, with an introduction. Penguin Books.