Death in Antigone and Home Fire

Cause of Death

Although the same characters in Home Fire and Antigone died the two deaths shown (Antigone and Haemon) were very different from their Home Fire counterparts. Whereas Aneeka and Eamonn were both blown up, Antigone was hanged and Haemon stabbed. The difference in Antigone and Aneeka's deaths shows the difference in their acceptance of death. While they both allowed themselves to die, Antigone had been planning to do so since the death of her brother and had made peace with her death, which is reflected in her more peaceful death. On the other hand, Haemon's death is more personal than that of Eamonn, as death by sword is more intimate than blowing up a victim from several yards away. This speaks to how much more directly Haemon was killed by his father's actions and how his father had a more involved and close relationship to his son's death. In contrast, Karamat was less directly involved with Eamonn's death, which is why his cause of death was a more impersonal and indirect form.

Means of Death

While Aneeka and Eamonn were killed by an external force, both Antigone and Haemon killed themselves. The characters causing their own deaths demonstrates more control over their situation, as they are determining their own fate. In Home Fire, the characters are killed by an external and unknown force. This signifies how little control they had over their own lives, as they are constantly having to follow the rules and wishes of several powers (Karamat, Farooq and ISIS, Isma, etc.). Ultimately, Eamonn's death is completely involuntary, which aligns with the complete lack of power he had throughout his life. Aneeka in the end controlled her own death somewhat, although it wasn't as premeditated as Antigone's. Although she didn't have as much control as Antigone did, this shows how her defiance and headstrong personality gave her some semblance of control and power in her life despite the challenges she was given.