Point of View

“Burial Rites” by Hannah Kent is written from several perspectives. The narrative is written in the third person limited omniscient which provides the reader with the points of view of the main characters in the story. The reader is able to understand the story by learning the characters’ thoughts, fears and motivations.

The second perspective is written in the first person from the protagonist Agnes, who is doomed to execution by beheading for her conviction in the murder of two men. It is a powerful way to present the condemned woman’s story. The reader is privy to the agony of a condemned person who has little time left on earth. Every person knows that there is an end to their lives, very few now exactly when and how. Agnes struggles with what she considered an unfair trail and conviction. As the story progresses there...