In the question of who had a better argument for following duty the answer is dependent on the context it's asked in. If the question is entirely based on logic then Antigone had no argument. Her actions were caused by her grief for her brother. King Creon's actions were meant to make him a more feared leader. His logic was clear. His purpose was to keep his people in line by showing them he will not even spare his future daughter in law. If the context this question is asked in is referring to who followed their family duty the obvious answer is Antigone. King Creon left his nephew's corpse to be eaten by birds in the field. When his niece attempted to follow her family duty, the king killed her for it. I think this theme of family duties compared to respect might be what the play is addressing. King Creon abandoned his family ties in favor of being respected. By doing this he brought more tragedy to a family who had already suffered. His actions drove his niece, his son, and his wife to suicide. Only once this happens does King Creon realize his mistake and is regretful of it. Greek tragedies were often meant to present complex characters in complicated situation. This is a perfect example of this. King Creon is caught between his family ties and his duties as a king. Antigone is tied between her loyalty for the king and her love for her deceased brother. Both make a decision that ends up costing …show more content…
Throughout the entire play Antigone is unafraid of her fate if she defies the king. She did not deny it when King Creon asked her if she really attempted to bury her brother. She referred to death as her fate multiple times. However, King Creon is often presented as someone incapable of seeing reason. He ignores the reason of his niece and a son. He only heeds the wisdom of a prophet, and by then it is too late. The play offers a moral to not forsake family unless you might lose everyone you