Hello everyone, here's another ancient literature essay. This one is about Antigone being a good sister and burying her brother, Polynices, even though Creon forbade it and set out guards to prevent it from happening. What caused her to do this? Well, even if he wasn't a very good guy, you still must bury him. Creon wasn't really in the right to pass the rule that people couldn't bury him.
Antigone says, "What, hath not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honored burial, the other to unburied shame? Eteocles, they say, with due observance of right and custom, he hath laid in the earth, for his honor among the dead below. But the hapless corpse of Polyneices-as rumor saith, it hath been published to the town that none shall entomb him or mourn, but leave unwept, ensepulchered, a welcome store for the birds, as they espy him, to feast on at will."
But why did Creon declare that Polynices would not be buried? Well, Creon didn't want him to be buried because Polynices had committed treason against his city. He was declared a traitor because Polyneices invaded his town of Thebes and did not treat his city in the way he should have. "After burying a traitor, you become a traitor”, said Creon. Was this just? Personally, I think that even if you did something wrong you should be buried or have your body disposed of with dignity. If you leave it to rot, then somebody's going to do something about it. Like when Saul's body was taken by the Philistines and hung up on the stone wall, David and his men took his body and buried it. If you take a body and don't bury or cremate it, something's bound to happen to it. Creon was pretending that only people loyal to his country should be buried, which is wrong.
So, what became of Antigone? Well, her sister didn't want to bury Polynices because she was afraid of the law. And rightfully so because Creon had Antigone executed for her crimes against the country. SIGH! That happens to a lot of characters in Greek mythology. He gets paid back by his wife, son, and niece all killing themselves because of what he did. Yeesh. My question is why not kill Creon? Well, In Creon's old age, a descendant of an earlier king of Thebes named Lycus invades Thebes and, after killing Creon, takes the crown. Yippee! Serves you right, Creon. My conclusion to this essay is that, even if someone wasn't a great person, you should still give them a proper burial and that Creon needs to get a grip and stop making these stupid laws.
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