IOP Conversation between Ismene and Antigone: (Antigone sitting by the window, watching her son playing outside)

Ismene enters.

Antigone

Ismene: He looks just like Haemon. Only, hes got your eyes. He is one lucky boy. Antigone: What happened to me Ismene? How did I end up here, like this? This has always been my dream, and it was supposed to remain one. How did I let it turn into reality? Getting married to Haemon, having a beautiful son, a family. I never imagined living long enough to live this dream. Ismene: Oh Antigone, is this why youve been so lost these days? Why do you keep going back to that time? You need to move on! Antigone: Thats just it. Everybody keeps telling me that. But that is not the point Ismene, I have moved on. Dont you see little Haemon playing outside? He is living proof of it. Ismene: So why this unhappiness? I would kill to be in your place! Antigone: Thats the funny thing; I was ready to be killed as well! So why didnt you let me, Ismene? All of you! I was so focused; one goal, one aim. I gathered up courage, with so much effort and prepared myself to die; you stirred me away from my path. Ismene: What? Why would you say that Antigone? Antigone: Oh, I know it very well Ismene. You have always been jealous of my strength. Yes, you have always been the prettier one, but you have also always been the weaker one! You dont have the strength to stand up for yourself, you know why? Because you always think about what the society will think and say. Its a sign of cowardice Ismene. You thought of them then, and youre thinking of them now. You dont have the courage to tell Creon you love that man just because he is the common man. You should Ismene: Dont do this to me Antigone! Please! This is not about me. He is a different story. Didnt Haemon play a part in this too? Antigone: Maybe he did, but I know that if I had ended up sacrificing my life, he wouldnt have stopped me, and wouldve sacrificed his own as well. He did not know what I was planning to do until it was almost too late. But you were the first person to know about it! And there was a reason behind that Ismene. Ismene: Stop, please! Antigone: You and I. We shared the same relationship with Polynices, our beloved brother, whose soul still does not rest in peace. I trusted you with my

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plan, expecting your full support. Alas, you told me to forget about it! You were held back strongly by the forces of society and you let them make your decision for you! Ismene: But I came to support you later didnt I? You sent me away! I had finally gathered up courage, and you didnt allow me. Antigone: Oh, we both know you didnt do it for yourself. Yes, you did it to prove to yourself that you were as strong as me that you had the courage I had in me. You did not do it because you wanted to bury your brother and you felt any love or filial obligation towards him. No, you did it to console yourself. You knew I was not going to let you do it anyway, and with this belief as consolation, you took that step. Correct me if Im wrong Ismene. (Ismene runs out, unable to bear it further) Antigone: Running away and avoiding it is not going to help you Ismene. It is never a solution. Trust me. Its not going to stop you from hating yourself! You know what I just told you is completely true. You needed to hear this. You are going to have to face it someday Ismene. I just hope its soon. Dont let it be too late, or else youll end up like me one day. Sitting by the window on a beautiful morning, unable to appreciate what I have because Im too busy regretting what I didnt do in my past. Some would say Im stupid, I have an amazing family, a place I can call home, and how can I not be content? I lay in bed, late at night, listening to my dear husbands heartbeat, what a soothing sound. I can hear little Haemons soft snores, and my own heart thumping wildly against my chest. I question it, is it supposed to be this way? Is this how the Almighty planned it? Am I destined to close my eyes every night, with a kiss from my husband, with his arms around me, holding me? How did it happen? They were all selfish. Uncle Creon wanted me alive for his son, for an heir to the throne. Ismene wanted me for her selfish reasons. Nurse is no more. I am soon to become a queen, how will I say yes now? It is not a responsibility I am ready for. Just a few years ago I was standing in the room above this, having that conversation with Uncle Creon, reminding him of his responsibility as he had said yes. And now, I am in his position, forced to say yes. As Haemon becomes king, I have to become the queen. No other choice. No choice to say no. How will I roll up my sleeves and plunge both hands into life, as Uncle Creon would say? My whole life, Ive been saying no to everything. My own name is anti-gone. The only time I said yes was on the day of my marriage. Yes, to being Haemons wife. Yes, to being the mother to his child. (PAUSE)

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I realize now, what uncle was talking about. It is much easier to say no and extremely hard to say yes. It needs more courage than saying no, because saying no means ending it. There is nothing after it. But saying yes, it never ends. Endless decisions, choices and so many things to think about. You say yes, and you make a huge mistake. Huge. My decisions will affect not only me, but also the two other people in my life. I cannot act on my instincts anymore, because my life is now linked to theirs. They are involved as well. I cannot be selfish anymore, can I? (PAUSE) I remember, how, once I went to my room, I sobbed. Nurse comforted me, reminded me of all the good things in life, everything I had been through with and without her. How she held me in her arms, comforting me, without knowing what was going on. Maybe she was the one who changed my mind, made me want to live. But she did it unknowingly. She is not responsible for it. It was Ismene, she tempted me. I was depending on her to give me the courage, and the support I needed to go ahead and follow martyrdom. She didnt even have to follow the same path as me, but I expected her to understand. Instead, she told me it was pointless, meaningless, and that I was stupid. Maybe I was, I still am. But my reasons were justified. I never wanted this life. I have been trying to be what everybody expects me to be. I feel that I have been untruthful to Haemon, he fell in love with the girl I used to be, not what I have become now. He fell in love with me even when I used fling mud at my own sister, tying her to a tree and cutting off her beautiful hair. Poor Haemon, I am sure he has noticed the change in me. I never explained to him what happened, and how it happened. I locked myself up in my room, fell to my knees, and sobbed. That day, I thought from Ismenes point of view, and I did what she would have done. I followed the rules. The rules of society. (PAUSE) What did I just blame Ismene for? It was I. All these years, Ive been running away from the fact that nobody was to blame but me. Just before Creon gave in on me and was about to call the guards, Just after Ismene came running, wanting to die with me. I said, You hear that Creon? The thing is catching! Who knows but that lots of people will catch the disease from me! And I realized what I was doing. I was being selfish. I would die as a martyr, yes, but that is not what people would see me as. They would see me as a rebel. I ran out of the anteroom. Uncle Creon saw through me, and managed to handle the situation, preventing people from finding out. It got me thinking. My death, or murder, as it would have been seen as, more than a sacrifice, would create uproar in the citizens. It would set a trend, a very wrong one. Creons ability to be a King would be questioned, and the whole city would go haywire. It would tell them that death is nothing big, and

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that it is actually a much easier option than living. They wouldve started going against the life God gave them, giving up their families, and seeing death as the answer to everything. That was not right. I could not be responsible for that. My soul would never rest in peace knowing I created riots because of my death. I could not have been that self-centered as to leave Ismene and Uncle Creon with such a burden, could I? And so I lived. And here I am today. I am caviling about my past, regretting my actions. But whats the point? What is done is done. I cannot change it. And giving up is not what Antigone does. I promise myself now, to use all my strength to become a good Queen to my people, and to live up to their expectations, mostly importantly, to those of Haemons. I promise to set a good example to all those little girls out there. I will learn from my mistakes and make sure that nobody makes the mistakes I made. I am not going to carp about the past. I am going to start afresh, and make sure that my little Haemon sees a smile on his mothers face, always. I am going to make use of this life and bring about a change. (PAUSE) I thought about others then, became completely self-less, and Im going to continue to do so. I started digging this pit then, and it has become so deep now, that the only way to break free is to keep digging. I am not going to disappoint anybody anymore. I will channel all the strength that I have into becoming a better person, and stepping into the shoes of a Queen. It will take some time, but Im sure they will understand. I am doing this not only for the ones I care for, but for myself. I cannot let moments of weakness bring me down. I am Antigone, the strong one.