Women Of Honor

Women of Honor

In the world, there exist people who have beliefs strong enough that they are willing do die for them. Their convictions may be for their country, their family, or their religion. Some people chose to die for their beliefs while others are just objects of fate and die because of their beliefs while in the hands of others. For example, American soldiers don't often chose to die. They die because they are standing up for what they believe in and are killed because they are protecting what they believe in. They know they can potentially die but don't take their own lives. On the other hand, suicide bombers offer themselves fully as they kill themselves for their beliefs. People have been standing up and fighting for their beliefs for centuries in order to defend and protect their valued views. If they die protecting their sentiments, then they have died noble deaths. In Greek Literature, two women face their fates of dying by defending what they believe in. Ipheigeneia loves her father and in order to win the Trojan War, she must be sacrificed. She resists her fate at first but as expected she allows her father to do the necessary. Ipheigeneia is sacrificed. Additionally, Antigone faces her fate defending her brother Polyneices. He was murdered by his own brother; however, he was considered a traitor since he returned from exile and therefore was not allowed be buried properly. Antigone felt as his sister she must give him the proper burial. Kreon -the king of Thebes- was furious and sentenced her to death Later, he changes his decision but it is too late as she has taken her own life. These young, brave women are obviously similar while maintaining differences in their deaths.

Iphigeneia at Aulis and Antigone are very important writings in Greek Literature. Both involve a young women who dies in hopes of helping others. Antigone and Iphigeneia believe that they are dying for noble causes. The two brave women die for love. Their loves; however, vary. Both are sacrifices in a sense as they both die for a cause. They give their lives so that others can maintain their honor. Antigone realizes the importance of remaining loyal to family and she will maintain her dignity and states " It will not be the worst of deaths - death without honor" (p.140, 82-83). Antigone's death is a result of her disobeying the king. Her brother was considered a traitor and Kreon said "No one shall bury him, no one mourn for him," (p. 139, 20). However, she felt so strongly that she risked her life to give him a proper burial. Accordingly, she states "But I will bury him; and if must die, I say that this crime is holy:" (p. 140, 55-56). She was not murdered but did take her own life rather than facing terrible consequences. Iphigeneia desires to maintain the honor of her father and in the larger picture, the entire country of Greece. Agamemnon states that according to the prophet Kalchas, "Iphigeneia, my daughter, must be sacrificed to Artemis, the deity of this place" (119-121). Kalchas told her father Agamemnon that she must be sacrificed in order for the Greek ships to leave Aulis and to continue on to Troy. Honor was thus restored to Polyneices and Agamemnon and Greece through both women's actions. Both Antigone and Iphigeneia's fate was determined by them accepting what needed to be done. Antigone knew that her brother deserved to be buried and thus she is punished although not killed. She was, however, sentenced to death. Iphigeneia acknowledged that she needed to be sacrificed. Iphigeneia states to her mother

"All these good things I can win by dying.

Because of me, Greece

will be free, and my name will be blessed there" (1859-1861).

Furthermore, both women are in a sense sacrifices as both die for what they believed despite differences in their deaths. Antigone sacrifices herself as she knows there will be consequences since she disobeyed the king. It is as if she is a gift to her brother because she will be punished as she defended her brother's honor. Iphigeneia is similar in that she is a gift when she is sacrificed. She is a gift from her father and mother to the entire country of Greece. From her death, the country of Greece is able to continue fighting the Trojan War as the prophecy said

"sacrifice your daughter to Artemis

and the Greek ships will

be able to sail" (428-230).

As glorious as the deaths were, both women were mourned. Iphigeneia was mourned by her mother and her false fiancй Achilles. Antigone was mourned by her fiancй Haimon, the son of the king. It is evident that both Antigone and Iphigeneia share similarities in their deaths; however, many difference exist between the two occurrences.

No two situations are exactly the same. This is extremely true in the stories of Iphigeneia and Antigone. Both women were fated to die; however, how the deaths occur are different. Antigone's suicide was not premeditated and perhaps was even spontaneous as there is no part in the novel where it is stated that she herself planned to take her life. Antigone only acknowledges that she will die in Kreon's hand as she exclaims to Kreon "lead me to my vigil" (p152-51). She openly speaks that she is not afraid to die. On the other hand, Iphegeneia's death was pre planned. Her father Agamemnon was told by Kalchas that his daughter must be sacrificed in order for the Greek army to set sail again. It was clear that it was thought out as he writes a letter to his wife asking for Iphigeneia to come to Aulis. In the letter it states that she is to marry Achilles. However, in reality, there is not to be a wedding but instead a sacrifice. How the women react to the situations varies as well. Antigone accepted her fate from the very beginning as she knows that burying her brother is most likely going to cost her her life. Antigone from the start knows that honor will follow her death. On the other hand, Iphigeneia first fights her fate but later accepts it as she realizes that she will die with glory. She first cries