No fear

This is ridiculous. Am I the only one that seems to see the right thing to do in this situation? I feel as though no one is on my side. My own sister tells me I should just follow the law and remain hidden. I HAVE MY OWN BELIEFS. I don't want to be like Ismene, my sister, and just sit in the kitchen making food, cleaning, and patching my clothing. Her exact words were, “…we are women; it is not for us” (128). What could she mean it is not meant for us? I am just as good as any one and not one person can tell me what to do. If you want to know, my brother, Polynices was killed trying to gain his kingship to the city of Thebes. The king, Creon, refuses to let anyone bury my brother; he can rot in the sun and the animals can eat his wasting body. Can you believe that? My brother, who technically had a right to the throne, is killed and then his body cannot be buried as his punishment? The gods specify burying the bodies! Without burial, Polynices will not receive peace in his death. That is MY BROTHER. He will receive a proper burial because he was a good man and he deserves what is right. However the decree the king put out is prohibiting anyone to bury Polynices or they will be executed. So my sister and I got into an argument about whether or not we should bury him. Ismene seems determined that the role of the woman is to just remain in the houses and not cause a disturbance. I am certain that the will of the gods should be held to the highest standard. I definitely will not let my brother rot in the sun and be pecked at by the birds. But my sister does not seem to want to stand up for her loved ones! How? Her own brother and she will not bury him. Does she want him to have peace in death? Apparently not and I find that sad and appalling. Since she believes that I should not put my life at risk to bury our brother, she told me, “At least be secret. Do not breathe a word. I’ll not betray your secret” (129). I told her, “Publish it [to] all the world!” (129). From my stand, this is my brother and if she isn’t willing to give her life for those who truly loved her, then I hate her.

            Right now, I am extremely irritated. I just gave you all these points that are making me irate. First of all, my sister is continuing to remain ignorant about burying Polynices. She will not give her life for her brother. I am willing to fight for my family, no matter what the cost. And then she brings out how we as women should not create anything. Does she really believe that women belong only in a house? Women are depicted as weak and she is continuing that view. But truthfully, I just want my brother to be buried. I don’t care if I am a woman or not; Polynices is still getting his proper burial. So now, I am going to me immured for getting caught. However, I know inside that my brother will appreciate my love for him. I know he will also appreciate how I defended him and our family. Furthermore, Ismene tried to tell me that she will help me bury the body. I told her, “You would not lend a hand [and] I refused your help in what I did” (141). She does not need to die. When she chose life, I chose death.

            In the end, the noble Creon is who I will blame. He gave this decree to separate my family. But my family is strong. We will stick together through life and death. I am not afraid to give my life for my brother. I am not afraid.