Honor after death (Antigone)
A common theme across many of the stories we've read has been how honor lives on after someone dies, in the form of their physical body. This was seen several times in the Iliad, and pops up again in this tragedy. Although it has already been made clear that being buried is very important for someone's glory to live on and not be diminished by natural elements, Antigone's unwavering desire to bury her brother's body, presumably to ensure that his glory lives on past his death, shows just how much of an effect this desire can have on people. This is further emphasized by the many people that agreed that Creon's decision to prevent Polyneices' burial was unjust, further showing how the desire to bury the dead was in every person. The biggest example of this was with Antigone, but Ismene also showed this desire by trying to take some of the blame from Antigone, presumably also showing that she supported her decision to bury her brother, thus ensuring that his glory would live on.
Ismene almost comes off as a coward though, at least in the eyes of Antigone. If she really did support the burying of Polyneices, then she would have physically helped in the act. You have to show up and do the deed, or else you may just be all talk. The proof is in the pudding. Too little, too late.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, this theme of how honor lives on after someone dies ties back to the Iliad because this happened when Patroklos died and also when Hektor died. Antigone was determined to give his brother a proper burial to honor his brother even after his death, even if that means going against Creon's orders.
ReplyDeleteThe desire to bury the dead is also enforced by the gods. Therefore, Creon denying the corpse the right to a proper burial is pretty blasphemous as it goes against the law of the gods' which is also why the public disagrees with him.
ReplyDelete