Symbolism And Imagery In Hannah Kent's Burial Rites

In the novel, Burial Rites, Hannah Kent draws upon the symbolism and imagery of nature and the supernatural to highlight the central protagonists approaching death by execution. Symbolic ravens are scattered throughout the text and provide a sense of constant foreboding in a natural setting that is equally alarming. The Iceland of 1829 is a harsh physical environment with a social structure strongly influenced by both superstition and strict social guidelines. Within this structure, the doomed Agnes’s fatalistic perspective is a reminder that her life and eventual death are shaped by forces beyond her control. While Kent’s use of imagery is usually focused on Agnes’s approaching death, and the waiting she must endure it also serves as a reminder