What is Obligation?
How do you define obligation? What gives obligation force? What constitutes an authentic obligation? How do we reconcile conflicting obligations?
Is it your duty to maximize your pleasure over pain? Can a person give their autonomy to someone else and therefore be obligated to them? These are the questions that arose as I read Antigone. Antigone was defined by her duty to her faith, which meant performing the proper funeral rights for her brother, this duty was even worth giving her life. Initially, I had assumed her obligation was to her family, but really it was her understanding of the afterlife and what the gods demand to be done for funeral ceremonies. These paideic forces are stronger than any man made contractual obligation, which was what King Creon expected of her. Yet, connections and responsibility are the driving force behind obligation, so my natural instinct to risk everything I have for a stranger would be far less likely than for my family or God. Obligations are only meaningful if there’s a form of personal connections behind them whether that’s family, religion, society, in order for them to mean anything.
In my opinion, the only way for an obligation to be considered authentic is that it has to have been of your own accord. Creon’s obligations present themselves as very inauthentic, and self-serving but as the story continues it seems that he may be trying to keep order within his kingdom. So, instead of taking a good or bad approach to either of their obligations, looking at the forces that make them choose what they are obligated to is a lot more interesting. Whereas Antigone puts her faith above all other obligations, Creon finds man-made order his top obligation, a form of imperial force. These obligations have different forces behind them, but they are still both equally authentic in my eyes. The authenticity of an obligation is based on the personal choice made to pursue and honor that commitment. True obligation can’t be forced or coerced. Obligation can seem unreasonable or unattainable but if it’s their choice that makes it real.This is the distinguishing factor for most people when it comes to defining how much obligations truly means to them. Most stories wrestle with obligations pitting the hero against two conflicting responsibilities that they have to choose between, but usually they find a way to honor both commitments and this is how to reconcile with two conflicting obligations. Even if this requires choosing one for now in hopes that the other will be met in the future as well. This fight within ourselves is what creates a sense of selves, our values, and a way for us to resolve conflicting internal conflicts.
Work Cited
Sophocles, et al. Antigone. Penguin Classics, 1984.