Review of Independent Study Text- Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
What key ideas are explored in the text?
Burial Rites, by Australian author Hannah Kent, is based on the true story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman to be executed for a crime in Iceland. In 1829 Agnes is condemned to death for her part in a double homicide. However, although she is guilty, she is not the heartless murderess northern Icelandic society has decided she is. Kent uses Agnes’ plight to explore injustice in the criminal system of the time; “All my life people have thought I was clever. Too clever … Sigga is dumb and pretty and young, and that is why they don’t want to see her die” (Kent 131-2). Kent also uses Agnes’ complex character and the bonds she forms with …show more content…
I have always had an interest in the fairness (or unfairness) of the justice system, so I found myself sympathising with Agnes and her anger at the difference of her treatment compared to Sigrídur. Although Agnes should have been punished for her crime, I do not think she should have been sentenced to death for killing an accused rapist who had manipulated her from the moment they met. Particularly since Natan had already been badly injured and appeared to be begging for mercy; “His lips moved silently, and I understood what he was trying to say” (Kent …show more content…
Sigurluag and Steinvör have a stereotypical sibling relationship: with one, Siguerlaug, being the perfect daughter who never does anything wrong, and the other, Steinvör, constantly being reprimanded for behaving in the wrong way, “Oh, Lauga hates having her here … Upbraids Steina for looking Agnes’s way” (p. 118). Although there is indication of Siguerlaug’s character developing it is never really discussed. Tóti’s character has the classic struggle of a son desperately wanting to do something, but his father not approving. While District Commissioner Björn Blöndal is the cliche morally corrupt authority figure with little empathy. I acknowledge though, that Kent is basing her characters on real people, and considering the documents at the beginning of each chapter that have been, “translated and adapted from original sources” (Kent 344), I think she did an impressive
What key ideas are explored in the text?
Burial Rites, by Australian author Hannah Kent, is based on the true story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman to be executed for a crime in Iceland. In 1829 Agnes is condemned to death for her part in a double homicide. However, although she is guilty, she is not the heartless murderess northern Icelandic society has decided she is. Kent uses Agnes’ plight to explore injustice in the criminal system of the time; “All my life people have thought I was clever. Too clever … Sigga is dumb and pretty and young, and that is why they don’t want to see her die” (Kent 131-2). Kent also uses Agnes’ complex character and the bonds she forms with …show more content…
I have always had an interest in the fairness (or unfairness) of the justice system, so I found myself sympathising with Agnes and her anger at the difference of her treatment compared to Sigrídur. Although Agnes should have been punished for her crime, I do not think she should have been sentenced to death for killing an accused rapist who had manipulated her from the moment they met. Particularly since Natan had already been badly injured and appeared to be begging for mercy; “His lips moved silently, and I understood what he was trying to say” (Kent …show more content…
Sigurluag and Steinvör have a stereotypical sibling relationship: with one, Siguerlaug, being the perfect daughter who never does anything wrong, and the other, Steinvör, constantly being reprimanded for behaving in the wrong way, “Oh, Lauga hates having her here … Upbraids Steina for looking Agnes’s way” (p. 118). Although there is indication of Siguerlaug’s character developing it is never really discussed. Tóti’s character has the classic struggle of a son desperately wanting to do something, but his father not approving. While District Commissioner Björn Blöndal is the cliche morally corrupt authority figure with little empathy. I acknowledge though, that Kent is basing her characters on real people, and considering the documents at the beginning of each chapter that have been, “translated and adapted from original sources” (Kent 344), I think she did an impressive