Burial at Thebes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Burial at Thebes - Essay Example Heaney’s work followed the same storyline of Sophocles’ work, but in an all new structure and sentences, giving his own interpretations to certain events and decisions of the characters. As Heaney wrote this work in 2003, the year of Iraq War, there is view that he seems to be influenced by the War to come up with his own interpretation of Antigone. â€Å"(He) wrote in 2003, believing that "with the White House and the Pentagon in cahoots, determined to bring the rest of us into line over Iraq, the passion and protest of an Antigone were all of a sudden as vital as oxygen masks". (Spencer 2007). Apart from these reflections, this work and the conflicts between the main characters seems to be relevant to the current times across different culture. As in Sophocles’s Antigone, The Burial at Thebes is about life, fight and death of Antigone and the events surrounding it, with the conflicts between the characters leading to a tragic end. The title of the play in a wa y recalls the punishment meted out to Antigone in the cave of Thebes, where she was buried alive. After her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, die in the Thebes’ civil war, both were given contrasting ‘burials’, based on the allegiance. â€Å"The tragedy is multiplied when not only Polyneices is felled in the war, but also Antigone’s other brother, Eteocles, perishes on the opposing side -- Creon’s side. ... Already tainted by her heritage, Antigone wants to give some honour to his dead brother, although he was considered as the traitor of Thebes by the King Creon. This sets the stage for the major conflict between Antigone and her future father-in-law Creon. Antigone has been betrothed to Creon’s son Haemon, and that does not prevent her from fighting for her dead brother. On the other hand, Creon by placing his kingdom and his policies regarding traitors over his soon-to-be daughter-in-law’s dead brother, denies her wish. With both of them not willing to give in from their Stated positions, it leads to further deterioration of their relationship. This conflict between daughter-in-law and father-in-law, although not a common occurrence, happens in cultures all over the world. Stereotypically, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws are considered to be ‘sworn enemies’, who both indulge in conflicts quite often, with the father-in-law being the silent spectator. Ho wever, sometimes, conflicts could arise between them and that could come into the public domain, if anyone one of them is a public figure. This has happened in the case of Chairman of the family bench at Worcester Magistrates Court, Richard Westcott, whose daughter-in-law, Sarah complained that he physically assaulted him during a scuffle. Sarah had a fight with her husband and Richard’s son, Edward, when it was alleged that his father-in-law, wanting to protect his son, intervened and physically assaulted her although she had baby in her hand. The court heard she later told police: â€Å"I was hit on my upper body and Daniel was hit on the side. I'm a doctor and I'm worried about Daniel's arm. I was hit at least seven times.† (Dolan 2007). Her complaint against Richard