In the play “Antigone” by Sophocles, the question of whether loyalties to family or loyalties to authority are more significant is brought up when personal matters are intertwined with legal affairs. Antigone is persecuted and punished severely by King Creon because she buried her brother, Polyneices, whom the king believes to be a traitor to the city and outlawed any burials or honor for the fallen man. In this situation, Antigone is right in going against the king’s law because in burying her dear brother, she honors the promise she made to him before he died, she pays respect to the laws of God and not the laws of mere mortals, and she shows her commitment to family by displaying her unwavering loyalty towards them, even in death. Antigone is right in crusading against Creon because in essence, he is unjustly punishing her in trying to punish her brother, Polyneices.
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She thinks that,”all these men here would praise [her] if were their lips not frozen shut with fear of you” (Antigone 210). She tells him that people only obey him because they are too afraid of Creon’s wrath if they disagree with him, as the case is with Ismene. His son, Haemon, further elaborates on this point by confessing he thinks his father’s,”temper terrifies them - everyone will tell you only what you like to hear,” which further proves that Creon is an unjust and volatile ruler who cannot be depended on to make important judgements or decisions (Antigone 218). Haemon reports to his father that he hears the common citizens whispering,”no woman has ever, so unreasonably died so shameful a death for a generous act,” which reveals that the people believe Antigone is worthy of praise for going out of her way to provide for her family, and that Creon is being illogical in his decision-making in this situation (Antigone