Antigone

The first is Das Ding, which we may talk about and I might explain a little.

The second is the analysis of Antigone, which will come up a little bit.

And then the third is the famous aphorism, the only thing one is guilty of is giving ground relative to one's desire.

And we're focusing on the third.

Because I have thought about it over the years.

Like, okay, what is, like, an authentic desire of a serial killer? But then you're like, well...

I don't think that's what Lacan's saying because when we're talking about Antigone...

Have you ever read Antigone? It'd be really fun to do because...

...

if you think about, for example, Antigone's dilemma, right? This is from a very popular cycle of stories called The Seven Against Thebes, where Polynices and Eteocles are on opposite sides.

They're two brothers, and they're on opposite sides.

Um, and they, they end up dying in battle.

And Creon, the ruler of Thebes, issues an injunction that says that Polynices may not be buried because he's a traitor and a rebel.

So the, the law of man, the civil law is his body is to be left to rot.

And Antigone, his sister, the, the...

Polynices' sister, uh, feels as if she has to bury him because that is the dictate of natural law, the law of blood.

So last Christmas I had Pinocchio on at The Old Joint Stock.

And then I've just been in Liverpool doing two days research and development with this friend of mine where we want to write a version of Antigone, the Greek myth.

Turns out my USP is accidentally becoming... of old myths or old stories.

And with Medusa, P and the Princess, and Pinocchio, it was like family stuff.

And then with Antigone, I'm sort of branching out.

So it's a bit of a long and convoluted way of saying it's always been there, but sometimes life takes you in directions you don't expect.

Kids TV, acting, drumming, whatever.

up? So I've just been up in Liverpool, which is my second favourite city other than London.

Read by Andy Minter.

ANTIGONY, HIS DAUGHTER.

Read by Elizabeth Klett.

Ismene, his daughter,

Then I will go perform these rites, But where to find the spot this have I yet to learn.

Beyond this grove, if thou hast need of aught, The guardian of the close will lend his aid.

I go, and thou, Antigone, meanwhile must guard our father.

In a parent's cause toil, if there be toil, is of no account.

And, you know, whereas I would say much of American culture is about trying to avoid thinking about aging and mortality.

One of the things I loved from the very beginning, I remember the first time reading, you know, Antigone as a teenager, I thought, "Wow, these people are serious," you know.

That struck me.

You know, it, it really struck me that there is this intense engagement with mortality that is never weirdly sort of gloomy or depressive.

We did Medea.

We did Antigone.

We did all the other ones.

And she would go to Greece every year.

No, I think that's a great pull.

Oedipus Rex, Antigone, you can't escape your fate.

So what matters is how you deal with it.

That's exactly it.

She was the kind of lit teacher that, in the throes of teenage angst, truly convinces you that you're not alone in the world.

The kind that makes you turn to Antigone or Crime and Punishment when you're freaking out about your acne, or have gotten into yet another fight with your clueless parents.

Students could relate to her,

and for good reason.

For some time after his fall, Oedipus had remained at Thebes, but at last the Thebans, moved by Creon, decided to expel him, and his sons did nothing in arrest of that sentence.

His daughter Antigone went forth from Thebes with her blind father, his sole attendant.

His mene stayed at Thebes, but was watchful there in her father's interests, and on one occasion brought him secret intelligence.

After his expulsion, his sons were at first disposed to resign all claim to royal power in favor of their uncle Creon.

Oedipus, unhappy that I am.

The clamor of the chorus continues.

Daughter, what is about to befall? chorus out with you forth from the land oe and thy promise to what fulfilment wilt thou bring it chorus no man is visited by fate if he requites deeds which were first done to himself deceit on the one part matches deceits on the other and gives pain instead of benefit for reward and thou back with thee out from these seats avaunt away from my land with all speed lest thou fasten some heavier burden on my city antigone strangers of reverent soul since ye have not borne with mine aged father knowing as ye do the rumour of his unpurposed deeds pity at least my hapless self i implore you who supplicate you for my sire alone supplicate you with eyes that can still look on your own even as though i were sprung from your own blood that the sufferer may find compassion on you as on a god we depend in our misery nay hear us grant the boon for which we scarce dare hope by everything sprung from you that ye hold dear i implore you yea by child by wife or treasure or god look well and thou wilt not find the mortal who if a god should lead him on could escape ch nay be thou sure daughter of oedipus we pity thee and him alike for your fortune but dreading the judgment of the gods we could not say aught beyond what hath now been said to thee oedipus what good comes then of repute or fair fame if it ends in idle breath seeing that athens as men say has the perfect fear of heaven and the power above all cities to shelter the vexed stranger and the power above all to succour him and where find i these things when after making me rise up from these rocky seats ye then drive me from the land afraid of my name alone not surely afraid of my person or of mine acts since mine acts at least have been in suffering rather than doing were it seemly that i should tell you the story of my mother or my sire by reason whereof ye dread me that know i full well and yet in nature how was i evil i who was but requiting a wrong so that had i been acting with knowledge even then i could not be accounted wicked but as it was all unknowing went i whither i went while they who wronged me knowingly sought my ruin wherefore strangers i beseech you by the gods even as ye made me leave my seat so protect me and do not while ye honour the gods refuse to give those gods their due but rather deem that they look on the god fearing among men and on the godless and that never yet hath escape been found for an impious mortal on the earth with the help of those gods spared to cloud the bright fame of athens by ministering to unholy deeds but as ye have received the suppliant under your pledge rescue me and guard me to the end nor scorn me when ye look on this face unlovely to behold for i have come to you as one sacred and pious and fraught with comfort for this people but when the master is come whosoever he be that is your chief then shall ye hear and know all meanwhile in nowise show yourself false chorus the thoughts urged on thy part old man must needs move awe they have been set forth in words not light but i am content that the rulers of our country should judge in this cause oedipus and where strangers is the lord of this realm chorus he is at the city of his father in our land and the messenger who sent us hither hath gone to fetch him oedipus think ye that he will have any regard or care for the blind man so as to come hither himself chorus yea surely so soon as he learns thy name oedipus who is there to bring him that message chorus the way is long and many rumours from wayfarers are wont to go abroad when he hears them he will soon be with us fear not for thy name old man hath been mightily noised through all the lands so that even if he is taking his ease and slow to move when he hears of thee he will arrive with speed well may he come with a blessing to his own city as to me what good man is not his own friend an oh zeus what shall i say what shall i think my father oedipus what is it antigone my child antigone i see a woman coming towards us mounted on a colt of etna she wears a phasaelian bonnet to screen her face from the sun what shall i say is it she or is it not doth fancy cheat me yes no i cannot tell ah me it is no other yes she greets me with bright glances as she draws nigh and shows that ismene and no other is before me Oedipus, what sayest thou, my child? Antigone, that I see thy daughter and my sister, thou canst know her straightway by her voice.

Enter Ismene.