THESIS STATEMENTThe Greek underworld can be a dark place, especially for those who have angered the gods, where one can see how the punishments often match the crime. PURPOSE STATEMENT Throughout this research paper, the underworld is depicted as a dark place where those who have committed crimes are punished for them, which can be extremely brutal. INTRODUCTION The Underworld is often portrayed only as a dark place for criminals, which it is, but it's where everyone goes after death. “The souls of the dead who carried an ancient Greek coin in their mouths were transported by Charon across another underground river, the Styx, to begin eternity as citizens of his dark kingdom. Those who did not have a coin remained lamenting by the river. (Evans 16). The Underworld is where everyone spends the rest of their life after death. It was a strict place and there was no escaping it. Each person was judged upon entry. “Osiris became king and judge of the dead in the underworld.” (Ingpen, Perham 18). Erinyes or Furies are those who punish people who have committed a crime. It is Virgil who places them according to their destination. “The Erinyes – or the Furies – were considered by some poets to be his [Hades'] daughters, and the three (or sometimes four) of them are often depicted standing beside his throne. They were frightening in appearance, often clad in blood-soaked black cloaks...especially those who murdered their own parents. (Allen 52-3). The Erinyes ruled with the God of the Underworld, Hades. He was the god who controlled everything that happened in the underworld. “Hades was considered a dark and unattractive god, hard-hearted and ruthless.” (Allen 52). Hades wasn't always the kindest god there was. But he was... middle of paper... scathing of them. They spent the rest of their lives being tormented. The underworld has different meanings. It is not just a place of punishment. It's the afterlife for everyone. The underworld is where people go after death. There are different ways to live it depending on the life the person has lived. They have to navigate different rivers. Upon arrival, they are sent to be judged on where they will spend their time in the underworld. If they haven't lived a good life, they will be punished for it. If they have lived a good life, they go to a place that looks like heaven. Some people who have committed serious crimes are immediately sent away and tortured for eternity. The underworld can't always just be a place for those who haven't lived the way they should have, but also a place for those who have lived the lives they should have lived..