from ANTIGONE

ANTIGONE. [An aperture in]  …I’m tired, Father.

OEDIPUS. [Beat.] When you were born, you were hard on your mother.
    you came in to this world early, and raging.
You could not wait to be alive.
You do not yet belong here with me.

[SHE places HER hands upon HIS missing eyes… this is theirs, the ultimate gesture of intimacy.]

ANTIGONE. Father,
You gave me life.
It came with purpose—
    both were gifts.

[ANTIGONE exits.  OEDIPUS is silent for a few moments.]

OEDIPUS.
Love for this earth
    For life itself,
    And love for you:
There is nothing more.

And in the end,
    may silence make you strong…

Antigone 5

ANTIGONE.     "We must bury them," he said.

He said we must.
Well, he didn't say it, no.
He did not say those words,
    he indicated it with very simple gestures that this was expected.
THIS. WAS. DEVOTION.
And so we did.
We buried father’s eyes into a scattering of earth,
And as we did he made me PROMISE:
    to forever defend the souls of my broken family.
…
There were few words—though much language was expressed on either side, but words, no.
Only these:
ALL THINGS MUST REST.
THIS
IS
LOVE.

His final words to me.

Antigone 4

Antigone 3

CREON. Lead me away, please;
I do not know which way I should bend my gaze…

EVERYTHING IS DUST…

Antigone 2

HAEMON. Antigone, this is madness—!

ANTIGONE. [Very sharp] —I AM NOT MAD.
I AM THE ELDEST DAUGHTER OF OEDIPUS REX.
I AM THE DESCENDANT OF KINGS—
THAT IS NOT MADNESS—
THAT IS OBLIGATION.
You are the son of a tutor
You cannot understand—
You cannot know—
You cannot possibly—
And though I adore you
You are limited.

[Pause]

I’m sorry.

[Then]  You have not answered my question.

Antigone 1

[The CHORUS looks to the horizon]

The sun has set.
The west is red.
The moon a narrow scythe.
Darkness infiltrates tomorrow.


This will not be an easy day…