What happened in the castle?

Three washerwomen are gathered around a tub pretending to wash clothes as they gossip.

Ww = Washerwoman 

Ww1: Did you hear all the going ons in the castle today?

Ww3: sure did, that boy meeting the maid of the fifth son of the visiting lord in her chambers. Quite scandalous.

Ww1: Not that! That’s common stuff. I’m talking the big news. ROYALLY big news.

Ww2: [catching on]Oh you mean news about the King and his family!

Ww3: Ahh Yes! I heard the arguing all the way down in the kitchen. It was Creon and…and…uhm [mumbles] the opposite of being gone…

Ww2: Antigone, you dummy!

Ww3: Antigone! Yes, I was just saying it. Royal arguments – always so juicy. Dish, then!

Ww1: Well, Creon gave the decree that Polynieces would not be buried.

Ww3: Polynieces. That traitor?

Ww2: that handsome traitor.

Ww3: that dead traitor

Ww2: [to herself more than anyone]I cleaned his armor once.

Ww1: ANYWAY! The story isn’t about him. He just sets it all up.

Ww2&3: Okay, okay, sheesh.

Ww1: So, under pain of death he shall not be buried….and then Antigone buries him anyway!

Ww2: Oh! The grit on that girl!

Ww3: I like her style!

Ww2: then what?

Ww1: She was marched right up to the throne room-didn’t even flinch. And she started giving Creon a mouthful. A thrashing like I never saw.

[2&3 listen closely, intent]

Ww1: Then Creon came back and started yelling too.

Ww2: What a jerk!

Ww3: Just like a man!

Ww1: Mhm. They kept going on for what seemed like ages.

Ww3: What’d they say?

Ww2: Yeah?!

Ww1: Oh, I don’t know! They kept using fancy words that sail above my mop of hair.

Ww3: [laughing] just like them nobles

Ww2: Mhm.

Ww1: It was hard to sleep. But then it kept going.

Ww2: Oh really?

Ww3: He didn’t pardon her right away?

Ww1: No ma’am.  Said something about being a man…yada yada yada.

Ww2: Oh that sounds just like him.

Ww1: So they took her to a cave to await execution.

Ww2: poor girl got executed…

Ww1: Not quite she was sent to starve to death.

Ww3: Just terrible…

Ww1: After speaking with Tiresias, Creon decided he would yield and release Antigone.

Ww2: That’s great!

Ww3: So they kept her alive. What a nice end to the story.

Ww1: They tried but she was already dead.

Ww2: She was murdered?!

Ww3: She slipped and cracked her head?

Ww1: She killed herself

[2&3 gasp]

Ww1: And by the end of the day she wasn’t the only one that was dead.

Ww2: Someone got revenge on Creon?

Ww3: I bet it was Haemon! Antigone’s bethrothed!

Ww2: Oh, yes! That boy is scrumptious! I bet he went in and whooped Creon!

Ww1: He might be a little less handsome now. He’s the one who died.

[2&3 gasp again]

Ww2: Oh! A tragedy!

Ww3: How’d it happen?

Ww1: Creon and Haemon had a fight…with swords.

Ww2: There isn’t no way that the old man beat that strapping young man

[1&3 both look at 2]

Ww3: Would you stop?

Ww1: the boy is dead!

Ww3: disgusting…

Ww2: I was just saying…

Ww1: anyway. As the fight went on Haemon decided to kill himself. And he did.

Ww2: wow…

Ww3: agreed.

Ww2: Those noble folk are an odd lot.

Ww1: I KNOW! They kill themselves every chance they get it seems.

Ww3: Well, I’m glad we don’t have to deal with all of the complicated stuff

Ww2: Mhm. I’m to pretty to be killing myself everyday.

[All laugh]

Ww3: Oh! Did you see the newest guard yet?

Ww1: I haven’t! Dish! Is he good looking?

Ww2: Good looking!?

END

Haemon's Deleted Romantic Solioquy
By: Heather Nawrocki

(Versed by Haemon before he discovers that Antigone has committed suicide)

[Haemon]: Antigone, Antigone, why has thou art gone from me?
                  We were so close to our happily ever after,
                  But you threw that away; I should have acted faster.
                  I should have saved you from yourself,
                  From your pride and your determined nature.
                  For if I had, you would have been my forever.
                  My lover, my friend, until whatever end,
                  I shall find you now so that I can defend.
                  Defend you from my Father, oh, what a terrible man!
                  Before he became King, I was his biggest fan.
                  Now, he must rule Thebes with an iron fist,
                  For if he would let you go, the city would throw a fit.
                  You are a criminal in their eyes,
                  But I love you all the same.
                  You buried your brother for the sake of his name.
                  You could not let him be, a traitor for the world to see.
                  So now you await to die,
                  But I shall save you and we will fly,
                  Fly away from this wretched kingdom
                  To a life of love and freedom.
                  Who wants to be a king? Who wants to be a queen?
                  As long as we are together, that's all I need.
                  My lover, my friend, until whatever end.
                  I shall find you now so that I can defend!
                 

Antigone Poem

The king is dead for he went mad

His two sons have chance for power

One son was good, the other bad

Fought against one another but in the end death reach both their hour

Two of his daughters are alive

Antigone courage she had shown

Now the decision had arrive

She was going to bury the bad brother and forget the king of the throne

Ismene however left her do so alone

Creon is officially the new King

He sets commands to bury the good brother with a royal ceremony

And the other brother to rotten and to the birds.

Time passes as Messenger goes to Creon with words

That someone had bury the bad brother without asking the King.

Creon now mad

Sends people to find out who done this

Finds out Antigone had done this and ask for a death wish.

Debating is now taking place.

Who is right Antigone or Creon?

Now Son of Creon comes in the picture

Haemon is his name

He agrees with Antigone and his views are the same.

He set to marry Antigone.

Is love getting in the way?

Does not matter, for Creon, his decision had been made

To put Antigone to death as she will be put away in a cave.

Day goes by as they put Antigone for death.

The prophet however had a vision

If Creon continues these actions, sadness will come upon him.

Creon does not believe and will not swallow his pride.

For he continues his decision and made up his mind.

Later finds out the prophet vision had come true.

Haemon, his son, is now dead for his love was to strong

Creon now knows the decision he made went wrong.

Now feeling powerless.

Creon feels no right to be a King

As he leaves the palace with nothing to love.

For it is now above.

 

 

The Face of Antigone

antigone picture

Payne Horning: Antigone Protagonist Debate

Antigone Protagonist Debate

Payne Horning, Theater 100: Antigone Creative Response

Story Untold: Alternate Ending

Story Untold: Alternate Ending 

Characters: Antigone, Creaon, Haemon 

By: Shane Gabbard

     At the cave where Antigone was left to die, shortly after Haemon disowned his father.  Before Antionge committed suicide. 

HAEMON:  (after successfully sneaking up on the guards and killing them) Antigone, Antigone... can you hear me? I've come to save you.

ANTIGONE:  Yes my love I'm here, I knew you would come!  How did you get past the guards?

Haemon runs in the cave before any more trouble comes their way and helps Antigone out of the cave.

HAEMON:  Don't worry about it my love I'm here to save you now.

ANTIGONE:  (after seeing the guards dead) Oh Haemon what have you done? What are we going to do now?

HAEMON:  We are going to run away forever Antigone.  You and me, away from this nightmare of a town which was once ours.

Not long after leaving the entrance of the cave Creaon finds them escaping and orders his guards to run them down and capture them.

CREAON:  How dare you both defy me!  I will not let this go without harsh punishment.

Creaon and his guards take them to Thebes where they lock them both in a cell.  One sitting across from the other, shackles hold their hands against the cell's walls.

ANTIGONE:  I will not let us die in the hands of that man.  I will not lay in this cell until death with you either.

HAEMON:  Then what do you suggest?  We are shackled to the walls of this cold cell there is nothing we can do.

ANTIGONE:  (ponders for a moment)  My love I want to thank you for all that you have done.  We cannot die of starvation in this cell, and I will not let Creaon put his hands on us anymore.  

HAEMON:  Then what do we do?

ANTIGONE:  I want to take my last breath with you.  I want our souls to be released into the underworld together.  

HAEMON:  I love you Antigone.  Se you in the after life.

With eyes open looking into one another they both hold their breaths until they cannon take anymore.  They hold their breaths until their death...

Haemon comes in to find them dead in the cell after one nights stay.  While he is there looking at their bodies a guard rushes to tell him the news of his wife's death as well.  Creon is a broken man the gods have taught him well for defying them.  After many failed attempts to commit suicide he realizes the gods are punishing him by making him live his life with the shame and remorse until he dies an old lonesome death.