Letters

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Letters from and to the Characters in Antigone
Dear Abby,We have just returned to Thebes with an intention to help our brothers. Unfortunately, both of them are dead. One of them was given a decent burial. The king has given orders that nobody should bury my other brother. The king has said that anybody who will try to bury my brother will be put to death. I feel that we must give our brother a decent burial and to please the gods. My sister is not ready to support me towards giving our brother a dissent burial fearing that the king might punish us. Please advise me on how I can deal with this burial issue.
Strong-willed
Dear Strong-willed,
I know how it feels to lose both your brothers at once. It is true that it is your obligation as a family to give your brother a dissent burial. It is not easy to do that against the will of the king. It will be important if you consider the possible consequences of burying your brother against the will of the king. You should think about how you can approach the king and convince him to allow the burial of your brother. Remember that it’s only you and your sister who are alive in your family, your death will course your sister trouble, I want you to imagine what she will have to go through in case you proceed to bury your brother and the king wrath befalls you. Think of any other way to convince the king including talking to his close confidants to convince him. If the king refuses to allow it all cost, I would advise that you rethink your decision.

I know that you are strong as your name suggest and you can survive this temptation. It is not advisable to go against the king and lose your life. You are the only representatives of your family, and you are therefore needed by the society to fill the gap left by your parents and brothers. I believe there is always a right way to do this even if it means waiting for a long time. By the end of it, you will manage to give your brother a dissent burial, and the gods will be happy since you will have done it with wisdom without losing your life. It may mean waiting till a new king takes over the power.
Dear Abby,
I feel ashamed of myself. My sister urged me to join her in giving my brother a dissent burial. I was afraid since the king ordered that the body of my brother should not be buried and anybody who tries to bury it will be sentenced to death. I advised her not to and out of fear, and I refused to join her to give my brother a dissent burial. My sister was then arrested by the king, she then hanged herself in jail. I feel that I have failed my family and the gods out of cowardice. I want to overcome this cowardice and give my sister a dissent burial, advice.
Out-of-Fear
Dear Out-of-Fear,
Every man is afraid of death. It was normal for you to be afraid of death. I would advise not to feel guilty in any way since you played your part in advising your sister. What you are feeling right now is out of emotions and love that you had for your sister. It will be foolish of you to follow the same path that your sister followed. Unless the king has not forbidden a dissent burial of your sister, you can proceed and do it. But if he forbids it, do not bury her. Take charge of the gap left by your family by ensuring that the generation of your parents does not come to an end. Even your dead parents will be happy with you if they see you continuing their generation. Do not feel that you are a coward, and you were just obedient to the king, and to the laws of your people. I understand how it feels to lose a whole family within a short period, you need to relax, heal emotionally before you think of making any decision that you will regret later. Talk to your uncle the king, ask him to forgive your brother and sister, show him the respect that you have for him, and he may have compassion on you and pardon your family members.
Dear Abby,
I had passed a law that forbids the burial of my brother’s son, anybody who buries or tries to bury him was to be punished by death. This my brother’s son had attacked Thebes, and I did this to be an example to anyone who will think of attacking the kingdom. His sister has defied this law, and I have placed her in custody. Failure to punish her will make me look like a weak king, a king who does not keep his words. I also feel sorry for her since she is like my daughter. I am confused on what to do. Please help.
The Strict One
Dear Strict One,
I believe that you had passed such a law with good intention. Your intention might have been to protect the city from rebellious people. Your daughter has already defied this law, and she is in custody. Remember that she did not do this to overturn the kingdom. She might have done it out of religious purposes. The best thing to do is to seek advice from all your advisors, reconsider your stance and know the reason for her action. Talk to her and understand why she insisted on burying her brother despite your orders. I know that no king want to look weak before his people, and to be defied by a woman in Greece is also not a small thing. I believe that you have authority to change the type of punishment that you can give. Since she is also the daughter of the king who died, I believe that you can find an excuse for her and punish her less severely. Remember that you are on the throne because of your relationship with her mother, you are now the fatherly figure in their life. It your duty to protect the remaining siblings of your sister. You must, therefore, use your authority as the king to ensure that you don’t end the generation of your predecessor. I know that you are a rational leader and changing your decision on this cannot be a big problem. You can just punish her as a warning to others but don’t cause her death. Be merciful unto her.

Reference
Griffith, Mark, ed. Sophocles: Antigone. Cambridge University Press, 1999.