Death and Closure

Paralleling the emphasis on a proper burial, Fleishman’s article on Erwin Kowalke illuminates the universality and timelessness of closure. For example, Kowalke describes his experience: “We identified one soldier awhile back. His 92-year-old widow from Berlin came to the cemetery in Halbe…When I saw that old woman in a wheelchair holding the box of bones that were her husband and saying, 'Oh, Werner, I know where you are. Now, I can have peace,' I knew that what I do matters.” Going back to lecture, Hart explained that the Roman Catholics got closure from seeing the physical body of the deceased at the funeral. The physical embodiment of a person still holds its “substance” and importance even if only the remains are left. Because when deceased, the physical represents the concrete connection the mourning have with the dead, it’s important to show respect through whatever burial practices in order to gain closure. Transcending the human need to feel close to the departed, Antigone’s audacious act in offering her brother a proper burial is rooted in her desire to conform to the Greek gods and Greek morals. Although the 92-year-old widow’s priorities probably wasn’t to the Greek gods, being reunited with her husband was her way of rectifying with her beloved’s death. Both Antigone and the widow were presented a loss and, in a sense, relieved when closure was attained.