Greek Burial Analysis

Women in Greek societies have little power and mainly just perform the burial rites as they aren’t granted citizenship. Greek burial is very important in Greek religion as it allows the deceased to go to Hades. The article, “The Importance of Burial in Greek Religion,” explains that the women perform the burial rites and how it is an important part in Greek culture. Considering that women play little roles in societies, “Mourning the dead was one of the few things women were allowed to do in ancient Greece” (page 67). Women don’t play big roles in their societies like the men do. Antigone becomes motivated by this to bury her unburied brother Polynices while her other brother, Eteocles, was given the right burial. Antigone believes women should …show more content…
Antigone wants to bury Polynices but Ismene doesn’t think it is a good idea. Ismene is scared and doesn’t believe Antigone, a woman, can fight against Creon’s command of not burying Polynices. Ismene’s ideologies that women are a submissive sex are seen when she desperately urges Antigone not to defy Creon’s authority by burying Polynices as Ismene delivers, “Consider that we / were born women, proving we should not fight with / men, / and that we are ruled by more powerful people / and must obey them, even in more painful things” (62-65). Ismene tries to persuade her sister, Antigone, out of burying Polynices. Ismene is fearful of man’s power over women, which leads her to refuse accompanying Antigone in the burial of Polynices. By refusing to be uninvolved in the burial, Ismene disregards one of the fundamental roles of women in a Greek culture. Ismene has a disbelief in women and is sexist towards women’s capabilities. In the point of view of Ismene, it would be simpler to be quiet and remember that they are women. Nonetheless, Antigone foils her by being strong and determined to bury Polynices. Ismene discourages Antigone from burying their brother Polynices through sexism and fear of men’s, especially Creon’s, high standing and