Where should Isma’s loyalty lie: with her brother or her country? By informing the police of Parvaiz’s intentions, did she make the right or wrong decision? Can there be a correct moral decision when faced with the impossible choice between family loyalty and duty to society?

Antigone from the play “Antigone” and Isma from “Home Fire” both faced a moral dilemma: to choose between family or society. Antigone as the oldest sister could either obey the law made by King Creon or break the law to give her brother Eteocles (a traitor to the city) a proper burial, whilst Isma had to decide whether she should keep her brother’s involvement with ISIS  as a secret or report it to the British government.

I believe it is impossible for any decisions to be “completely” moral, as it will bring unsatisfaction to someone somehow no matter what. For example, Antigone’s decisions will both lead to negative consequences, those being obeying the rule which would treat her brother’s soul with disdain or burying her brother that would break the law. For Isma, if she does not report Parvaiz’s intentions to the government, she would be putting the public’s safety at risk. Whereas if she did report Parvaiz’s intentions to officials, it would essentially be seen as a betrayal towards her brother. Therefore, it could be reasonably concluded that there are only decisions that are “more” right or wrong, and this depends on the number of people the decision impacts, the consequences caused, and the context or situation it is settled in. This is also called Teleological ethics. In the standpoint of Teleological ethics, Isma’s action is considered morally correct, because her intentions were for the good and welfare of both her family and society (utilitarianism). Nonetheless, Parvaiz ultimately tries to escape from the ISIS back to the UK, meaning that Isma’s action has nothing to do with going against his will. Isma reported Parvaiz to the UK government because she knows involving oneself with terrorism is wrong and believes the government could possibly help Parvaiz. If Isma did not report Parvaiz’s involvement with ISIS, more serious consequences could arise, one possibly being the family’s living affected by ISIS and putting other family members in danger as well. Therefore, I believe Isma made the right decision, as her intentions were to get Parvaiz back home safely and to prevent further consequences.

 

In Antigone, however, it focuses on Deontological ethics, as the Greek society believes the dead must be respected in any circumstances. That it is a duty of theirs to ensure the deceased are properly buried. Even though the action burying Eteocles goes against the law, it does not disobey the culture and society’s moral beliefs.  Moral subjectivism, referring to moral judgements based on personal preferences, opinions, and attitudes, is involved as well. King Creon’s decision is plainly based on personal preferences as he believes traitors do not deserve proper burials, whereas the tradition of a proper burial is the opinion of the public. Because Greeks are more influenced by religion and god, they tend to lean towards Deontological ethics. Thus, King Creon’s decision is viewed as immoral in the play, shown by him and the ambassadors dressing in black whilst Antigone dresses in white, indicating his decisions as wrongful and Antigone’s view as correct.