Antigone Flashcards
1
Q
Ismene: I couldn’t sleep either. I stayed up all night, watching old movies on tv.
A
Antigone: you shouldn’t stay up so late. You need your beauty sleep.
2
Q
Ismene: I really hate when you mock me.
A
Antigone: I’m not mocking. The only constant thing in my life is your beauty. And your hair. It’s very… Comforting. Seriously how can you spend sleepless nights when you have such beautiful hair.
3
Q
Ismene: Antigone I have to-
A
Antigone: what?
4
Q
Ismene: I was thinking. Your plan… It’s insane.
A
Antigone: it is.
5
Q
Ismene: we can’t go through with it.
A
Antigone: we can’t?
6
Q
Ismene: you want us to be heroes, but heroes become sentimental or ridiculous. If we do what you talked about, they’d punish us terribly.
A
Antigone: of course they would. That’s the role we have to play. Just like I have no choice but to bury our brother.
The most important questions
are a paradox,
impossible to resolve.
That’s what makes this such a interesting story, don’t you think?
7
Q
Ismene: What are you doing up so early?
A
Antigone: Couldn’t sleep.
8
Q
Ismene: I don’t want to suffer for your story
A
Antigone: nobody wants to suffer, ismene.
9
Q
Ismene: listen to me. I’m your older sister. I know some things. You think I spend all my time looking in a mirror, flipping through fashion magazines, But at least I know you have to think before you act.
A
Antigone: sometimes that’s deadly.
10
Q
Ismene: I’m sorry about our brothers. I am. And polynices… But I understand why creons doing what he’s doing.
A
Antigone: and what is he doing?
11
Q
Ismene: he’s trying to keep order. He’s in charge. He has to make some tough decisions. Of course, people will disagree with some of his choices.
A
Antigone: but I’m not a politician. I could never be. And I know what I’m doing is right.
12
Q
Ismene: impossible as it is to believe, there might be times when you’re not right.
A
Antigone: this isn’t about saying no to creon. It’s about our brother. Nobody can tell us we can’t bury him. There’s a higher law Ismene.
13
Q
Ismene: they’ll destroy us. Is that what you want?
A
Antigone: I want justice.
14
Q
Ismene: yeah, well, they’ll throw us in jail with the drunks and the scum, and you’ll ask for a lawyer but they’ll just laugh and turn their backs and what does it matter if you did the right thing? Have you thought of that?
A
Antigone: that’s what you’re afraid of?
15
Q
Ismene: that’s what I know will happen. And I can’t handle that. I can’t. I’m not strong.
A
Antigone: I’m not strong either. But it’s doesn’t make a difference.
16
Q
Ismene: then come back inside
A
Antigone: it’s no good trying to act the bigger sister. You never did it growing up, and it won’t work now. You’re afraid to die for something you believe in.
17
Q
Ismene: of course I am
A
Antigone: And you can live with being so compromised?
18
Q
Ismene: stop it, you’re too young throw your life away because of some… Belief
A
Antigone: young? When was I ever young?
19
Q
Ismene: you’re smart and beautiful-
A
Antigone: and that’s the most important thing in life
20
Q
Ismene: haemon. He loves you. I’ve seen him, sitting across from you, quiet, staring at you, aching to lean forward and kiss you.
A
Antigone: I’ll talk to him
21
Q
Ismene: and tell him what?
A
Antigone: go back inside ismene, watch television. The morning programs about diets and face lifts. Or go back to sleep.
22
Q
Ismene: please come back with me
A
Antigone: no.
23
Q
Ismene: please
We’ll go back to bed. And you’ll see. You get some sleep and what I say will make sense. It will all become clear. We just need some sleep.
A
Antigone: Ismene. How will she live after this?
24
Q
(Haemon enters, moves towards her)
A
Antigone: haemon.
I’m sorry. I left last night…
25
Haemon: we were in bed and suddenly at four in the morning. You're leaving, I haven't slept.
Antigone: I know.
26
Haemon: what's wrong?
Antigone: don't.
27
Haemon: are you worried about what people will think? I have to kiss you, or here, where everyone... You look so beautiful
Antigone: haemon, I have to say something
28
Haemon: say it.
Antigone: I need you to listen.
29
Haemon: I'm sorry, it's just... I missed you terribly
Antigone: it's only been a few hours
30
Haemon: hours, minutes, I love you so much.
Antigone: haemon, listen to me-
31
Haemon: im not letting you go
Antigone: listen!
| I know how much last night meant to you.
32
Haemon: and to you
Antigone: yes. I wanted that more than anything...
33
Haemon: yes.
Antigone: I know you've been patient, would have waited, but something has happened.
34
Haemon: yes...
```
Antigone: I remember the moment
In school
I looked up from my book
And suddenly saw you
Really saw you for the first time.
They say beauty
Is
Truth,
Truth,
Beauty.
I cannot be without that truth
You.. You are my beauty.
```
35
Haemon: and you're mine
Antigone: you love me don't you?
36
Haemon: of course I do.
Antigone: I want to believe you.
But
They're just words, you understand?
Words that have been said thousands of times, and what do they mean?
Because men have lied for centuries.
They've lied for so long they've forgotten not to. They lie and they Iie and they lie
37
Haemon: when I say I love you, it's not a lie.
Antigone: I have to know it.
38
Haemon: what else can I do?
Antigone: I'm going to tell you something. And after I say it, you can't talk, you just... Have to leave.
39
Haemon: not say anything?
Antigone: no. Even if it tears you apart inside.
40
Haemon: what could you say that would do that? I feel like I could love you forever. There was no love before, there'll be no love after. Your eyes, they're too big for your face, your eyes are too big for the earth. There are countries in those eyes. My country is in those eyes. I walk through them, they light up the world. And your waist, my arm shapes it like a river. It has flowed a thousand years through you.
Antigone: just hear me and don't say anything. Swear you'll do that.
41
Haemon: I swear.
Antigone: last night.. I wanted to, to be with you, so that we'd, we'd be one, married in a way, before we... No, you can't say anything. You have to listen to me.
I can't marry you, I can't. You have to go now. Just go.
Good. Now it's over with haemon.
42
Ismene: I thought you were coming back to bed
Antigone: I can't sleep now.
43
Ismene: I came back here because I was afraid... Afraid you'd do something stupid like try to... To bury him. You tell me I don understand but I do, I know you think compromise is a ugly word, but our brother, he's dead. He's gone, and throwing some dirt on him won't change anything, we need to live our life's here and now. So promise me you won't run off and do something like that.
Antigone: it's too late.
44
Ismene: what?
Antigone: when you first saw me before. I'd come back from doing it. I buried him.
45
Jones: look I ain't got nothing against you, I'm just doing my job.
Antigone: just following orders?
46
Jones: I'm a soldier, what do you want from me? I'm sure you got your reasons, everybody's got their reasons, that's not my concern.
Antigone: stop grabbing at me!
47
Jones: hey don't tell them how to do their job. You're the only one breaking the law. Know what she said to me, she says "I want to dramatize to the world how I'm disgraced by our government".
Antigone: I didn't say that-
48
Stuart: you believe that?
Antigone: do you know who I am?
49
Barnes: a troublemaker
Antigone: I'm Antigone. Oedipus daughter.
50
Barnes: his daughter huh? We better back off because she knows some politician. (They laugh)
Antigone: get your hand off!
51
Jones: tell you what, I wouldn't go to Atlantic city, but I wouldn't go home neither.
Antigone: are you finished?
52
Jones: no but you are
| Dunks
Antigone: (fighting for air) just bring me to creon
53
Stuart: now she's giving the orders
Antigone: you've had your fun. now just take me to him.
54
Jones: fun? You think hauling you around is fun?
Antigone: I really don't care.
55
Creon: Antigone? Is there any truth to this?
Antigone: all of it. Just as they said.
56
Creon: and a few hours ago, did you try burying your brother just then too?
Antigone: I used a little scoop. The kind we have to scrape the ice off a windshield. That's all I could find. But it did the job. I only had a minute. Not much time, but then later, there wasn't even time for that. So I just used my bare hands.
57
Creon: I have one question. Why?
Antigone: why did I bury my brother?
58
Creon: why did you break the law?
Antigone: he was still my brother. It would be an insult to his memory, not to honor him. But instead, you decide he's a enemy of the state. And look what happened to me.
59
Creon: listen we don't need to do this-
Antigone: it's too late for that.
60
Creon: if you care so much about family honor, then let's go inside my office...
Antigone: I don't have any expectation you'll understand-
61
Creon: Antigone-
Antigone: let everyone hear what I have to say
62
Creon: I'm not a monster. I don't approve of what happened here. I respect the laws. And I'm willing to listen to you.
Antigone: then let everyone hear.
63
Chorus: do you swear your testimony is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Antigone: I do.
64
Creon: can you explain to us why you disobeyed the law and performed a burial of an enemy of the state?
Antigone: if I take the law into my own hands, it's out of everything else failing.
65
Creon: It's a dangerous time, this city was attacked, painful decisions need to be made, were in freefall unless we... That means putting personal feelings aside for the greater good. Meanwhile, you're creating anarchy.
Antigone: I was practicing civil disobedience-
66
Creon: those are just words, words trying to justify an action that... You still haven't explained
Antigone: this is my point of view, I'm trying to make you understand, I'll say it in as many ways as you want, it's the same thing.
67
Creon: you talk about taking law into your own hands, because this law... Has in some way stopped the people from expressing-
Antigone: Excuse me there's kind of a brainlessness here
68
Creon: you had no legal right to be out in a field-
Antigone: and where should I be? On vacation?
69
Creon: what are you-
Antigone: that's what you wanted for my sister and I to be away,
70
Creon: it might have been helpful, givin the emotional... I thought both of you should be-
Antigone: itd be a terrible thing if a revolution started and I was driving across the country.
71
Creon: what does that mean?
Antigone: I guess I'm trying to show you what a great sense of humor I have.
72
Creon: I fail to understand what's funny
Antigone: obviously not your sense of humor-
Sometimes I just make these offhand hilarious comments, I can't help it, I'm freaky, crazy, irrational, angry, childish, antigone...
73
Creon: your brother attacked this city-
Antigone: he was still my brother.
74
Creon: this is about your pride-
Antigone: Pride?
75
Creon: it has nothing to do with honor, or freedom, or change, It's really about you being above the law.
Antigone: I don't think it's that simple.
76
Creon: the daughter of Oedipus. People like you don't have to follow laws.
Antigone: if I was some... Some garbage collector, I'd still bury my brother and know I was within my rights.
77
Creon: just like your father
Antigone: thank you.
78
Creon: so I pass sentence, put you to death, that's a fitting end for you. A martyr. For you father too, the day to day struggle isn't enough, you have to have death, but it's a supreme death in which you are sacrificed. Sleep with your mother and murder your father and then rip out your eyes. What a high, to have that in your blood, a drug that nobody else can never know. And you can take that drug, over and over, live out your tragic end. But it must be in public. Otherwise it doesn't count. Well, I'm in charge now. I've made some changes. My name is creon, not Oedipus. Not as exciting a name, but I don't care. It's a responsible name. And I'm a responsible man. I just want the government to do its job. So understand something. You may be the daughter of a king, but you're over 18, you take responsibility for your actions. You ave no idea what death means. You don't serve any greater good by dying. You won't create a revolution or even a protest. Because the truth is, nobody cares.
Antigone: I'm responsible for my actions. They're min alone. If others choose to act because of that, so be it.
79
Creon: turn off those... Turn off those lights. Don't you understand, I have a responsibility to engineer what the country needs to feel. I need to keep the peace.
Antigone: of course you do.
80
Chorus: Antigone, any comments on your testimony.
Antigone: there's no way to keep anything true, the way we are. Our will is not some sort of science project, is it? Today we are here, tomorrow, fill in the blank.
81
Chorus: are you being ironic?
Antigone: ironic? No, that does with my father. But, anarchy, it's like a great wind pushing me forward. At any moment, any one of us, we can seize it, embrace it. It's our freedom. Politicians use God to fight anarchy, but then fight God when he defies the politician.
82
Chorus: sorry, because of time constraints, we have to cut your time constraints from 42 seconds to 12.
Antigone: irony is dead. Anarchy. Freedom. My father.
83
Creon: you've had your say. You're free to go.
Antigone: if you let me walk out of here, I'll have to bury him again.
84
Creon: you'd go out there and make the same pointless... There's wen more soldiers standing watch over him. The field will be filled with men by now. What could you do? You wouldn't be able to get within 5 feet of that body.
Antigone: you talk about him like he's a thing. He's not a thing, he was my brother.
85
Creon: tell me the truth. Do you really believe in this whole burial business? Do you? Do you think his spirit will be in torment because you didn't toss a few handfuls of dry dirt on his rotting corpse?
Antigone: have you seen him sense he died? Do you know what it's like to look at... Both my brothers are gone, one you honor, the others left to rot, and the irony is, they were both so mangled, you could barely tell which was which. There are rules beyond us, If ignore them, we will pay and pay and pay.
86
Creon: so throw your life away.
Antigone: I can't allow him to be exposed that way.
87
Creon: do you think this will change others? Set the people against me, what I represent?
Antigone: who knows?
88
Creon: so it's for yourself?
Antigone: that's the only person I can be responsible for.
89
Creon: death is that easy for you?
Antigone: of course it's not easy, but I have no other choice.
90
Creon: we're talking about a body, a dead body. You think I'm not affected? In any way? When you can smell the stink out here? It makes me nauseous. But the Thebes needs to smell the stink to remind them of the cost.
Antigone: the cost.
91
Creon: it costs me as well. I didn't ask for this job. I woke up one day and they said here, your brothers snapped Simeon has to take charge.
Antigone: you should have refused.
92
Creon: I had no choice o didn't want chaos. Everyone was expecting me to spread the change.
Antigone: only you could stop the breakdown of society and you tell me I have a inflated sense of myself. Saving me has nothing to do with justice or the right thing, it's about how you're viewed by the populace. You're in charge, poor leader, with his plain suit and his plain words. But you live in fear.
93
Creon: maybe I do.
Antigone: a moment of honesty
94
Creon: have you thought about my son? About haemon? For one moment?
Antigone: of course I have.
95
Creon: he loves you, you can punish, but don't punish him.
Antigone: you think I'm being selfish?
96
Creon: when you won't consider another point of view. You destroy everyone around you.
Antigone: isn't that what you're doing?
97
Creon: you have no idea what how things are. The world you live in, it's all black and white. Your brothers, eteocles and polynices? You've forgotten a few things about them. What they thought about you. Your mood swings, always unstable. Polynices even took me aside one day, years ago, and said, Antigone, we think she's got problems. There was even talk of taking you to someone, some specialist.
Both of them felt, what with the shock of what your parents did, maybe you were damaged. We talk about therapy.
Antigone: you imagined Xanax was the answer? Don't reduce me to a problem, some medical imbalance
98
Creon: then there were your parents, the fights at night, the shouts, smashing things. You and Ismene pulling pillows over your head. Your precious polynices. the attempts on your fathers life. Not enough that they disagreed, no, your brother had to actually kill him. You should know this. Now that you've turned your brother into such a hero. So yesterday I gave eteocles a state service. Closes the offices, declared a day of mourning. But there's one thing you should know about eteocles. He wasn't any better. He tried to have your father killed as well. Both of them, power was the only thing they understood. And they didn't want to wait.
Antigone: what was the point of all that?
99
Creon: so you'd know what you're throwing your life away for. So you'd know the truth.
Antigone: the truth.
100
Creon: go to haemon. Forget this insanity. There no need to... What you did was good, I admit it, now go and try and be happy... Go to haemon. Take him back. Leave politics to the politicians. Live your life.
Antigone: and what would my life become? What kind of wife, mother, grandmother would I be?
101
Creon: don't you love haemon?
Antigone: I love the haemon who won't surrender.
That needs me to do the same.
I don't know if haemon feels the same way.
He's never been tested till now.
If this wonderful life you see for us, years of "uninterrupted bliss" means that part of us is erased year by year, then it's not worth it. if that's all you have to offer, I don't want it. Living out my life in little spoonfuls of satisfaction. I need to embrace everything untidy and terrifying, otherwise I'd rather die.
102
Creon: yes, I can hear your father all over again.
Antigone: if he was always questioning, even if it meant his destruction, then yes, I'll be just like him. My father reached a kind of bliss at the end, something you'll never know. After he realized all he'd done he became very calm. Calmer than anyone ever saw him. His mind stopped. He was beautiful. Utterly beautiful.
103
Creon: beautiful? He was pathetic. He wandered the country side a beggar.
Antigone: you can never understand him. You'll always be nothing but a politician.
104
Creon: that's enough
Antigone: you'll always be dead inside
105
Ismene: Antigone- (after fight with creon)
Antigone: so they bring you in now
106
Ismene: uncle, if you plan to kill Antigone, you'll have to put me to death as well
Antigone: it's too late, Ismene. I've made my choice, and it doesn't include anyone else. You weren't willing to look at our brother. That's what you'll have to live with.
107
Ismene: there's still time
Antigone: no, the plays progressed too far for that. But you can tell others what I've done. That's your role, Ismene.
To fill my silence.
108
Jones: yes sir
Antigone: good.
109
Jones: Come with me. No trouble now.
Antigone: don't worry, I'll be no trouble. I'll let others do that.
110
Creon: hold her here. You come with me.
Antigone: what's your name, I'm sorry, I never actually-
111
Jones: it's jones.
Antigone: you'll be one of the last people I'll see alive.
112
Jones: I don't know-
Antigone: I think we know that's true.
113
Jones: not for me to say.
Antigone: how old are you?
114
Jones: not as old as you think.
Antigone: what color are your eyes I wonder?
115
Jones: please don't do that. It's best if we keep a bit of distance... Nothing personal, but I don't let people get that close.
Antigone: you didn't mind being that close when you brought me to creon.
116
Jones: I was doing my job then.
Antigone: roughed me up a bit. You and your friends.
117
Jones: they're not my friends really. Just in the same unit. You know.
Antigone: are you worried I might try to escape?
118
Jones: no, I don't think you'll try anything.
Antigone: got a family?
119
Jones: wife. 2 kids.
Antigone: and do you love your wife?
120
Jones: no talking now. Just... Let's not go down that road
Antigone: all right. (Pause)
| Been in the army long?
121
Jones: long as I can remember, miss.
Antigone: as long as that.
122
Jones: I'm what they call a lifer. After highschool, didn't have many options.
Antigone: and you're a sergeant?
123
Jones: that's right. Done a couple of tours over seas. Then had the kids, requested an assignment here. Not a bad job, guarding this place. Most of the time it's quiet. Not today.
Antigone: no. Not today.
124
Jones: the pays not much, not as much as some jobs. But I'm fine. Don't need much.
Antigone: no?
125
Jones: no, and once you have kids, well, the army looks after you.
Antigone: that's good.
126
Jones: I once met your father.
Antigone: did you?
127
Jones: years ago. Good looking man. A leader.
Antigone: yes. Yes, he was. What I remember.
128
Jones: we all liked him. Never thought I'd end up here. This place. Though most of the time, it's pretty quiet, as I said. And I'm easy, I get along with just about anybody, that's my nature and-
Antigone: I'm going to die today.
129
Jones: I can get along, not a problem with me.
Antigone: will there be a lot of pain?
130
Jones: pain?
Antigone: when you... Will it be quick and painless?
131
Jones: I can't say, miss.
Antigone: how do you think they'll-
132
Jones: heard they might put you in this hole, so you disappear.
Antigone: bury me? Alive? could you do something for me? A favor?
133
Jones: I'm not sure.
Antigone: would you give someone a message?
134
Jones: I don't-
Antigone: you have a phone? (Jones nods)
| I have a message for someone-
135
Jones: listen, I can't... If anyone found out, it could be... It would be the end of me. I mean, you know, I have a wife and kids, I told you this- how about you just give me the message, and I'll tell the person later on.
Antigone: no, it has to be from me. You can just-
136
Jones: I'm... Who's it for?
Antigone: someone I love.
137
Jones: (cellphone out) alright, but keep it short.
Antigone: I'm sorry
But I've no choice
Live your life.
Remember, what we were to each other, that will never die. That's it.
138
Jones: keep it short. That's good.
Antigone: (to self) I'm sorry, haemon-
139
Jones: what's that?
Antigone: nothing. It's nothing.
140
Jones: all you said, I've got it here.
Antigone: I don't know why anyone has to die this way... No I can't think like that. Can I add something? At the end. I love you.
141
Stuart: going to behave yourself?
Antigone: of course I will.
