The ship
The ship's name is a symbolic reference to the tenacity of the crew and its leader. To accept a voyage to Antarctica is an acceptance of pain, of cold temperatures, of likely disaster, and for many, an acceptance of death. For this reason, the ship is a perfect symbol for its namesake, human Endurance. The tenacity to accept the cruelty and tragedy of nature is a quest for human endurance in the truest sense. The entire crew accepts ultimate challenge, arguably for nothing. There is nothing to be gained by a trip to a place without resources.
Leadership and the crew
The leadership of Sir Ernest Shackleton is an ultimate demonstration of leadership. By enthusing a crew to risk their lives, he proves himself as a competent force of inspiration. His tenacity is emboldening to the crew, and when they are already embedded in their deathly quest, his leadership gives them the necessary courage and endurance to continue onward, even when the risks of continuing and the desire for safety and comfort make them want to quit.
Absurdity and Antarctica
Antarctica is a symbol in itself. Although literal and real, it is like Shackleton's own Moby Dick, the sine qua non of his journey. Although there is technically nothing to be gained in Antarctica except knowledge and experience, and perhaps the occasional animal, Shackleton still accepts the exploration of Antarctica as his ultimate quest. He and his crew risk their lives for it. This is an absurd heroism, because they accept a goal that is arguably "worthless" monetarily speaking, but by accepting it, they become courageous voyagers.
The quest for meaning and knowledge
Their journey in Antarctica becomes a kind of religious martyrdom. The question of their life-risking voyage is arguably what they might witness. They witness mind-bending animals who survive in the most inhospitable climate imaginable on earth, and by doing so, they witness something powerful and majestic about life on earth. They also explore parts of the planet unseen by human eyes, which has the makings of a religious experience, and their suffering is ultimate in flavor.
The return voyage
When finally Shackleton returns to civilization, nothing seems less likely than a return voyage, and yet, with five members of the Endurance quest, he returns on the James Caird to explore the Drake Passage. They continue into the Arctic wilderness and manage to rescue their crew. This is a statement of human resilience and heroism beyond comprehension, and to make the matter even more powerful, it is not fictional but real. The story is a true story of human heroism with natural symbolism that underscores a brave response to the mystic meaninglessness of human life.
