Antigone's Moral Choice: Familial Piety vs.

Civic Duty

From Sophocles’ Antigone we get to know that there are many ethical dilemmas among

which one is the conflict between duty to family and civic obligation. This essay will delve

into the perspectives of key characters and how their choices result with devastating

consequences. From the play we see how important it was honouring family ties in ancient

Thebes and how it clashed with the laws and beliefs.

If we want to understand the ethical dilemma of “Antigone” we first need to understand the

values of Theban society. In the then Theban society religious practices and individual beliefs

played a very important role. Proper burial rites were essential so that the deceased soul find

peace in the afterlife (Sophocles, 441 B.C.E./2013). We see the commitment of Antigone to

her family to her brother, Polynices, shows her fulfilment of familial and divine duties.

According to Antigone divine law is more powerful than man made law. The characters

Antigone, Creon and Haemon represents the clashes in loyalty to family and loyalty to

government. Creon did not permit anyone to bury Polynices because he was a traitor and

according to him he was ethically right about his decision. The ultimate conflict between

civic duty and family loyalty is demonstrated by Antigone. It is her sacred duty to respect her

brother Polynices by burying him properly. Respect is important, but so is living up to one's

religious convictions about the afterlife. So, to Antigone obedience to Creon's law same as

defying the gods. Antigone’s story symbolises revolt against injustice, starting a debate about

the threshold of patience and the freedom of an individual to follow what they believe in.

Even though her devotion towards the cause is praiseworthy, the tale also narrates the cons of
being rigid. The internal conflict such as cultural customs that defy secular laws or coming

out as a family are similar to this internal battle. Antigone’s struggle ultimately serves to

highlight the difficulties in balancing individual beliefs and state laws.

On the contrary we see the king Creon who stands for civic obligation over family duty.

According to Creon maintaining Thebes’ stability and security is his main responsibility. He

thinks that in order to keep things under control and prevent any uprisings it is necessary to

prohibit the burial of Polynices (Sophocles, lines 631-634). He prioritizes the good of the city

over the needs of any individual (Velazquez, 2010, pp. 435-436). Family becomes less

important to Creon than his duties as king. He sees it as crucial to defend the rule, no matter

how severe, in order to preserve his power. This viewpoint is consistent with discussions of

the social contract idea, which holds that people give up some of their liberties to the

government in return for safety and order (Velazquez, 2010, pp. 435-436). Creon focused too

much on the plan and neglected important tasks. Little did he know how his choice would

affect him. Creon’s cruel approach brought disaster. Many were outraged by what happened

to Antigone, showing that Creon lacked leadership when Haemon took his life. His strong

faith led to the tragic death of his wife and son, underscoring the cost of caring for the family.

His constant arrangements brought him own suffering, weakened his power over the people,

and tarnished his reputation(Spencer-Oatey, 2012).

In Sophocles' play "Antigone," Haemon finds himself caught between loyalty to his family

and duty to his city, Thebes. Unlike Antigone's unwavering stance against the king or Creon's

strict adherence to the law, Haemon tries to strike a middle ground. He acknowledges his
father's authority and the need for order (Sophocles, 441 BC/2013, lines 673-675), similar to

the idea of the social contract, where people give up some freedoms for the stability provided

by a government (Velazquez, 2010). However, Haemon doesn't simply obey Creon. His love

for Antigone and his family values drive him to speak out for a more tempered approach and

to consider the opinions of the people (Sophocles, 441 BC/2013,lines 707-710). According to

the social contract theory, people give up some liberties in exchange for stability under the

rule of the state (Velazquez, 2010). But in the play, Haemon obeys Creon for more reasons

than just being his king. He speaks up for what he believes in because of his love for

Antigone and his family (Sophocles, 441 BC/2013, lines 707-710). This is comparable to

relational ethics, which emphasizes the value of context and relationships. Haemon offers a

middle ground. He wants Creon to be rational and to figure out how to maintain his position

of authority while also being a family man and upholding customs. This demonstrates the

need of having honest conversations and coming up with solutions that satisfy everyone.