Similarities Between Antigone And The Iliad

Shurui Yang

Professor Stefanie Goyette

Cultural Foundations Ⅰ

Final Writing Assignment

12/20/16

The Symbolization of Burial in Antigone and the Iliad Fig. 1: Brygos Skyphos, 500 BC-480 BC

Skyphos

Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Photo: © Google Arts & Culture

This skyphos (fig.1) is created based on a scene from the Iliad. “Achilles, the much-praised hero of the Greeks in the Trojan War, lies on a kline [which is the couch on the right side of this figure] in his tent, enjoying his repast. He holds a knife in his right hand and a piece of meat in his left” (A brief guide to the Kunsthistorisches Museum). While Achilles is enjoying his meal very much, underneath him lies the dead body of Priam’s son, Hector, who kills Achilles’ best friend,

In the Iliad, the Greeks grant the truce so that the Trojans can have some time to bury Hector. The truce is given because people distinguish the valor and the admirable characteristics of the enemies apart from the fact that they are enemies. They respect their enemies thus are willing to give them the time to conduct burials. Fig. 2: Antigone gives Token Burial to the Body of Her Brother Polynices, 1835-98

Watercolor, pen and black ink over black chalk, on gray-green paper

The Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York

Photo: © The Metropolitan Museum of

The two brothers of Antigone, Polynices and Eteocles fights with each other for the control of Thebes. The two kill each other but are treated differently after death. Eteocles is regarded as a hero while Polynices is regarded as a traitor and the enemy of the state. Creon then commands that no one can bury Polynices because he is a traitor but gives Eteocles a proper funeral. Creon orders to bury Eteocles because he recognizes Eteocles’ bravery in fighting for his own state, Thebes, against his brother Polynices: “Eteocles, who died fighting for Thebes, excelling all in arms: he shall be buried, crowned with a hero’s honors, the cups we pour to soak the earth and reach the famous dead” (The Three Theban Plays; Antigone; Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus 68). Antigone risks her life to bury her brother Polynices (fig.2) because she recognizes him as her brother and cannot bear seeing her brother dead unburied. In figure 2, Polynices lies on the ground as he is already dead. Antigone stands on one knee and pours water from a cup to soak the earth, conducting the burial ritual just like the one given to Eteocles ordered by Creon, and defying the verdict of Creon, who thus ordering the death of