Antigone

In the tragedy of Antigone, by Sophocles, the Hellenic rituals and ceremonies have a big part in the play. They influence Antigones decisiveness to bury her brother. These rituals also explain why Creons punishment for Polynices was so serious. Antigones stance on the issue was right and skilful with the gods. Both Creons and Antigones decisions rely on their respect for the gods and the laws of the gods.
In Greek rituals concerning burials it says that the obligation to bury the at peace(predicate) belong the immediate family. (Luce fourth paragraph) An unburied body meant a soul condemned to torment. (Magill 86) These rituals were not bonny out of family loyalty, it was requested by the gods. Antigone, obeying the rituals of their culture and obligation from the gods, takes it upon herself to do the deed of burying her brother. She does this knowing that it would be disloyalty to the state and king. Antigone knows what leave alone happen if she is caught and is steadfast in her decision. (Magill 86-87) One belief was that the unburied (ataphoi) could not enter the underworld and were condemned to haunt the Earth (Adkins, 421) It was weighty to cover the body, corpse or ashes, with dirt to allow the light to depart into the underworld, it also prevented it from contaminating the gods or their temples.



(Adkins, 421)
In Greek culture the dead was either buried or burned. (Adkins, 421) At Athens and possibly other cites, soldiers killed in warfare were solitary(prenominal) rarely buried on the battlefield. (Adkins, 421) Polynices, a traitor to the demesne of Thebes, should be put to death, seeing that he is already dead Creon decrees that Polynices should not be buried. (Magill 87) A conscientious ruler, he is come to about loyalty to the State. (Magill 87) Creon makes the kingdom his main concern, because of this he mustiness stoop to the gods. The gods are unyielding, just as Antigone was deprived of a husband and child, Creon was robed of family. (Magill 87) However, it is wrong to see Antigone as...If you want to approach a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



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