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They Served Their Purpose - Clabo

 I had two completely mixed feelings about this passage. One views it as being very nationalistic and inspiring of the Athenian people. The other, however, seems just makes me feel as if "Pericles" is using this as more of a speech to draw together the force of the Athenian people instead of honoring the fallen as the typical funeral procession does. Although I know that funeral ceremonies were celebrated very differently back then, something about its focus pertaining more to that of the nation than to the fallen soldiers. I can also see and respect the importance of attempting to focus the Athenian peoples' energy on the war. By gathering their efforts and energy to face the enemy, there would hopefully be less funeral processions in the future. 

One thing that also bothered me was the fact that an individual Athenian's value was basically determined by how much one could do for the city. I guess that is just because now-and-days we place so much importance on the individual that it makes it somewhat difficult to imagine what that way of life would be like.

Does anyone have any similar thoughts?

P.S. I commented on Caroline Tucker's and Abigale Bell's posts.

Comments

  1. Lily CaswellSeptember 14, 2020 at 7:44 PM

    I definitely agree, Clabo. I mean, who talks about drawing people together at a funeral, especially on a war where more people will die? Also, the individual’s value is based on how much they did for the city kind of bothered me too. I mean, it is sometimes true that “there’s trouble for all when there’s trouble for one.” (Les Miserables) But at the same time, so much of today’s society places importance on the one person rather than what they do for the city.

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  2. abbieheddenSeptember 14, 2020 at 8:34 PM

    Clabo, I get what you're saying. It's weird to see a culture that's so dedicated to nationalism and forsakes individualism, especially when our own culture emphasizes the individual so strongly! It makes me rethink my political priorities, knowing that individualism isn't the only way to function.

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  3. Jackson RiddleSeptember 14, 2020 at 10:50 PM

    I agree that his approach on honoring and referencing the dead seemed to be in the background compared to drawing the people together. I can somewhat understand the generality of Pericles' speech, given the consideration that there were probably very, very many of these "funerals" during that time; he may have felt that he would simply be repeating other speakers.

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