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Antigone Declassified at Jamaica HS
Antigone Declassified at Jamaica HS
“ LISTEN TO ME
ARE THE FI
ANTIGONE, TH
OSE
STRUGGLE FOR E
X ISTENCE
GHTS WORT
H FIGHTING
,
THE ONES
AGAINST T (WE USED TO EAT
HE ODDS.
LUNCH TOGETHER)
YOU MAY BE YO
UNG, BUT I
RIGHTNESS T’S THE
THAT MAT
TERS, NOT
THE AGE.
I SAY KEEP BY STUDEN
AND QUEE
A CEN
SORED PLA
TS FROM JA
NS COLLEG
M A
Y
ICA HIGH
SCHOOL
IATE HIGH
FIGHTING. SCHOOL
”
IN T HE ACTOR
AT QUEENSBOROU ’S WORKSHOP
GH COMMU
NITY COLL
EGE
ANTIGONE gets a petition out of her bag and hands it to her MOM
who signs it.
MOM:1RZVSHDNLQJRI ÀJKWLQJWRVXUYLYHZK\GRQ·W\RXKHOS
PHZLWKGLQQHUWRQLJKW",·YHEHHQZRUNLQJVRGDPQKDUG
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ANTIGONE:6XUHPRP+H\VLQFHZH·UHGRLQJWKLVZKROH
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MOM:'RQ·WSXVKLW
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ANTIGONE:'RQ·WZRUU\PRPEHIRUH,FRXOGVWLUXSDQ\
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She hands MOM the letter, who reads it aloud.
,QWKHLUÀJKWWRNHHSSROLWLFLDQVDQGEXUHDXFUDWVIURPZULWLQJRII
MOM:'HDU3DUHQWVDQG6WXGHQWV7KLVOHWWHULVWRLQIRUP
WKHLUIXWXUHWKH\RXWKRI 1HZ<RUN&LW\DUHPRYLQJLQUK\WKP
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ANTIGONE: Word has come down from Creon. There’s
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to be no rest, No mourning, and the corpse is to be
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publicly dishonored.
RI HGXFDWLRQLWVHOI LQWKHSURFHVV
MOM:$QWLJRQHGRQ·WWDNHLWVRKDUG,PHDQLVWKHGHFLVLRQ
'HFODVVLÀHG FDSWXUHV WKH XUJHQF\ RI WKLV PRPHQW LQ D FOHYHU
ÀQDO"
UHZRUNLQJ RI 6RSKRFOHV· Antigone HPSOR\LQJ FXWXS WH[W IURP
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ANTIGONE:,WVRXQGVSUHWW\ÀQDOWRPH,JXHVVZHFDQVWLOO
7LPHVDUWLFOHIURP2FWREHUWK,QVHYHQVKRUWVFHQHVZH
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PHHWDQDUUD\RI FKDUDFWHUVDVLQJOHPRWKHUZRUNLQJWKHQLJKW
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MOM:/LVWHQWRPH$QWLJRQHWKRVHDUHWKHÀJKWVZRUWK
FORVXUHVDQGWKHFKDQFHOORURI 1HZ<RUN&LW\VFKRROVORFNHGLQ
ÀJKWLQJWKHRQHVDJDLQVWWKHRGGV,·PSURXGRI \RX<RX
YHUEDOFRPEDWZLWKWKHSURSKHW7LUHVLDV
PD\EH\RXQJEXWit’s the rightness that matters, not the
age.,VD\NHHSÀJKWLQJ
7KH DXWKRUV RI 'HFODVVLÀHG XVH WKHVH YRLFHV WR XQYHLO WKH
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MOM gives ANTIGONE a hug.
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MOM:$QGJLYHPHRQHRI WKRVHSHWLWLRQVWRVLJQ
ii
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MOM:$QWLJRQH6ORZGRZQ:KDW·VWKLVDOODERXW"
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ANTIGONE:2N6RWKHFLW\GHFLGHVLWZDQWVWRFORVHGRZQ
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MOM::DLWDPLQXWH+RZFRPH,GLGQ·WNQRZDERXWWKLV"
an anarchist
ANTIGONE:3OHDVHPRPMXVWOHWPHÀQLVK$Q\ZD\ZHJHW
boogie down, planet earth
VXVSHQGHGIRUKDQJLQJSRVWHUVZKHUH,·PQRWVXSSRVHGWR
December 2010
MOM::HJRWVXVSHQGHG"
ANTIGONE:<HDKZHOO,VPHQHWRR%XWWKDW·VDORQJVWRU\
6KHGLGQ·WUHDOO\GRLW
MOM:,VPHQHJRWVXVSHQGHG"
ANTIGONE:0RP:LOO\RXSOHDVHMXVWOLVWHQ"
MOM:)LQH*RDKHDG
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VWXGHQWVWRJHWKHULQFOXGHGWKHVWXGHQWVIURPWKHQHZ
VFKRROVWKDWDUHVXSSRVHGWREHOLNHRXUFRPSHWLWLRQFDXVH
OLNHLWVKRXOGQ·WEHWKDWZD\DQGDOORI XVWRJHWKHUPDUFK
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-DPDLFD+LJK6FKRRO
MOM:1RZ$QWLJRQHZKDWGLG,VD\DERXWJHWWLQJLQWRPRUH
WURXEOHyou’re headstrong and self willed and you
suffer for it.
13 iii
SCENE 6
Two janitors are taking down Antigone’s posters.
JANITOR 1::KDWGR\RXWKLQNDERXWDOOWKLV"
JANTIOR 2::KDWGR\RXPHDQ"
JANITOR 2::HOO,GRQ·WNQRZ,WGHÀQLWHO\GRQ·WPDNHVHQVH
WRPH,PHDQZK\FORVHDVFKRRO7KH\JRWPRQH\IRUMDLOV
GRQ·WWKH\:K\QRWVFKRROV"
JANITOR 1:,KHDUWKDW6RZK\ZHWDNLQJDOOWKHVHSRVWHUV
GRZQDQ\ZD\"
JANITOR 2:-XVWGRLQJRXUMRE
The two janitors continue discussing their views on the school closing and the
state of the world generally. Lights fade....
SCENE 7
MOM is sitting at the table. She is tired from work. ANTIGONE
comes home.
ANTIGONE:,FDQ·WEHOLHYHWKLV,VPHQHDQG,KDGWKLVZKROH
SURWHVWSODQQHG,WZDVJRQQDEHELJ%XWQRZWKLV+ROGV
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The CHANCELLOR broods.
ANTIGONE:<HDK)RUKDQJLQJSRVWHUVLQ\RXUVFKRRO·V
KDOOZD\$Q\ZD\ZK\DUH\RXKRPHVRHDUO\"
CHARACTERS:
ISMENE:,WROGP\SULQFLSDOWKDW,KHOSHG\RXGRLW
0RP
ANTIGONE:<RXGLGZKDW" $QWLJRQH
Ismene
ISMENE:<HDKVR,JXHVV,JRWVXVSHQGHGWRR 1HZVFDVW
6FKRRO2IÀFLDO
ANTIGONE: I don’t allow this. Justice won’t allow this. 6WXGHQW
You wouldn’t help! 6WXGHQW
2IÀFH$VVLVWDQW
ISMENE: But I’m with you now. &KDQFHOORU
7LUHVHXV
ANTIGONE: Too late sister. You can’t just pluck your -DQLWRU
honor off a bush you didn’t plant. -DQLWRU
ANTIGONE::HOOWKHUHLVRQHWKLQJ,ZDVWKLQNLQJRI 1RWH$OOOLQHVLQEROGDUHWDNHQIURP6HDPXV+HDQH\·VWUDQVODWLRQRI
Antigone.
ANTIGONE whispers to ISMENE as the scene shifts. .
1RWH1HZVFDVWLVSXOOHGIURPD1<7LPHVDUWLFOH
from October 28, 2010.
11
SCENE 1 \RXDFFRXQWDEOH" The gods have given us the use of
reason, but do we use it right? Do I? Do you?
MOM is in the kitchen getting food ready. ANTIGONE and ISMENE
FRPHKRPHIURPVFKRRO$17,*21(DUULYHVÀUVWWKHQ,60(1(WKH CHANCELLOR: Why am I standing out here like a
younger sister... target? Why is every arrow aimed at me.
MOM:+L$QWLJRQH+RZZDVVFKRRO" TIRESEUS:,VQ·WLW\RXUSROLF\WKDWLVXSVHWWLQJVRPDQ\
VWXGHQWVDQGWHDFKHUV"
ANTIGONE:,GRQ·WZDQWWRWDONDERXWLW
CHANCELLOR::KR·VJRW\RXLQWKHLUSRFNHW"$UH\RX
MOM:&RPHRQLWFDQ·WEHWKDWEDG ZRUNLQJIRUWKHWHDFKHUVXQLRQQRZ"
ANTIGONE: What’s happened here is that the judge has OFFICE ASSISTANT: He’s gone, but his words won’t go
misjudged everything. away. Never in all my days was that man wrong. When
he warned the city, the city new to listen.
MOM::KDW·VWKDWVXSSRVHGWRPHDQ"
CHANCELLOR:'RQ·W\RXKDYHVRPHZRUNWRGR
ANTIGONE:1RWKLQJ-XVWVRPHWKLQJZHUHDGLQWKHDWHUFODVV
OFFICE ASSISTANT:,·PMXVWVD\LQJ
1
WKLV MOM::HOOHDWVRPHIRRG<RX·OOIHHOEHWWHU,·PPDNLQJ
VWHZHGFKLFNHQ
Reading
ISMENE enters
´'HDU&KDQFHOORU.OHLQ:HWKHXQGHUVLJQHGVWXGHQWV
SDUHQWVVWDII PHPEHUVDQGIULHQGVRI WKH-DPDLFD+LJK MOM:+LVZHHWKHDUW+RZZDV\RXUGD\"
6FKRRO&RPPXQLW\XUJH\RXQRWWRSKDVHRXWRUWXUQDURXQG
WKLV\HDUROGKLVWRULFDOLQVWLWXWLRQ-DPDLFD+LJK6FKRRO ISMENE:0RPZHKDYHODSWRSV&DQ\RXEHOLHYHLW",PHDQ
KDVEHHQWUHDWHGYHU\XQIDLUO\E\WKH'HSDUWPHQWRI ZHFDQ·WWDNHHPKRPHZLWKXVEXWVWLOO$QGWKHUHZDV
(GXFDWLRQDQGGHVHUYHVVXSSRUWUDWKHUWKDQSKDVHRXWµ WKLVRQHNLG1HLOKHVZLWFKHGWKHNH\VRQWKHNH\ERDUGVR
SHRSOHNHSWW\SLQJWKHZURQJWKLQJ
Holding up the letter.
MOM:6RLWZDVDJRRGGD\"
CHANCELLOR:'R\RXUHDOO\WKLQN,·YHEHHQXQIDLU"
ISMENE:%HVLGHVWKHIDFWWKDWQRZ,KDYHDOOWKHVHWH[WERRNV
TIRESEUS:6RXQGVOLNHyour conscience is what’s doing ,KDYHWROXJDURXQG2KDQG,QHHG\RXWRVLJQWKLVSDSHU
the disturbing. :HDUHJRLQJRQDÀHOGWULSWR'&QH[WPRQWK
CHANCELLOR:'RQ·WWDONLQFRGHV ANTIGONE:,W·VQRWIDLU7KHVHQHZVFKRROVDUHJHWWLQJDOO
WKHDWWHQWLRQ,W·VOLNHZH·YHEHHQleft out for the birds to
TIRESEUS:<RXWRRNDZD\RI WKHVFKRRO·VWHDFKLQJVWDII feed on.
ZKLFKLQFUHDVHGFODVVVL]HVDQG\RXJDYHKDOI WKHVSDFHLQ
WKHEXLOGLQJDZD\WRQHZVPDOOHUVFKRROV:RXOG\RXFDOO ISMENE sticks her tongue out at Antigone. Antigone responds.
WKDWIDLUWUHDWPHQW"
MOM:3OHDVHQRDUJXLQJWRQLJKW,KDYHWRZRUN
CHANCELLOR::HFDQ·WFRQWLQXHWRLQYHVWLQIDLOLQJVFKRROV
ANTIGONE:$JDLQ"%XW\RXZRUNHGWKHQLJKWVKLIWODVWQLJKW
TIRESEUS:'R\RXUHDOO\WKLQNFORVLQJVFKRROVLVWKHDQVZHU"
MOM:/RRNDIWHU\RXUVLVWHU7KHUH·VSOHQW\RI IRRG&DOOLI
CHANCELLOR:7KHVFKRROLVIDLOLQJ \RXQHHGPH%\H
ISMENE goes to her room and Antigone turns on the TV. STUDENT 1:<HDKZK\GLGWKH\FKDQJHWKDW"
ANTIGONE:,GRQ·WNQRZ´(GXFDWLRQUHIRUPµRUVRPHWKLQJ
SCENE 2
STUDENT 1:7KLQJVDUHVRGLYLGHGQRZ,OLNHGLWDORWEHWWHU
ANTIGONE sits watching T.V. ZKHQZHZKHUHWRJHWKHU
ANTIGONE: Ismene, quick, come here! STUDENT 1 leaves. ANTIGONE continues hanging posters until the
whole wall is covered.
ISMENE enters.
ISMENE::KDW SCENE 4
ANTIGONE:-XVWJHW\RXUEXWWRYHUKHUH ,QWKHRIÀFHRI WKH6FKRRO&+$1&(//25
3
NQRZPD\EH\RXFDQKHOSPH,·PQRWDOORZHGWRKDQJDQ\ EXWZRQWHPSRUDU\UHSULHYHVEHFDXVHRI DODZVXLWEURXJKW
LQ\RXUSDUWRI WKHEXLOGLQJ%XWVLQFH\RXERWKJRWRWKH E\WKHWHDFKHUV·XQLRQDQGWKH1DWLRQDO$VVRFLDWLRQIRU
QHZVFKRROPD\EH\RXFRXOG WKH$GYDQFHPHQWRI &RORUHG3HRSOH7KHVFKRROVIDFHD
SRWHQWLDO´SKDVHRXWµDSURFHVVLQZKLFKWKHVFKRROVWRSV
STUDENT 2:2K,GRQ·WWKLQNVR DFFHSWLQJVWXGHQWVDQGORVHVRQHJUDGHSHU\HDUXQWLOLW
FHDVHVWRH[LVW6LPXOWDQHRXVO\QHZVFKRROVRSHQLQWKH
ANTIGONE:-XVWDIHZRQ\RXUZD\WRFODVV EXLOGLQJ
ISMENE:,W·VQRWP\VFKRRO:KDWGR,FDUH" VFKRRODQG\RX·UHQRWDXWKRUL]HGWRKDQJDQ\WKLQJKHUH
ANTIGONE:<RXKDYHIULHQGVWKDWJRWR-DPDLFDGRQ·W\RX" ANTIGONE:%XWLWLVDOOWKHVDPHEXLOGLQJ$QGEHVLGHVWKLV
LVLPSRUWDQWWKHFLW\LVWU\LQJWRFORVHRXUVFKRRO'RQ·W\RX
ISMENE:<HDKVR"%HVLGHV\RXNQRZLI \RXGRDQ\WKLQJWR ZDQWWRKHOSVDYHLW"
JHWLQWRWURXEOHDJDLQPRP·VJRQQDÁLSRXW6KH·VDOUHDG\VR
VWUHVVHGRXWVLQFHGDGOHIW SCHOOL OFFICIAL:,·PVRUU\EXWwe must do as we are
told.
ANTIGONE: Are we sister-sister, or traitor-coward?
SCHOOL OFFICIAL starts to leave.
ISMENE:,W·VQRWWKDWVLPSOH
ANTIGONE:,I WKHVHPHQZHUHQ·WVRDIUDLG
ANTIGONE:)LQH,GRQ·WQHHG\RXUKHOSDQ\ZD\,·PJRQQD
VDYHP\VFKRROHYHQLI ,KDYHWRGRLWE\P\VHOI SCHOOL OFFICIAL::KDWGLG\RXVD\"
ISMENE:(DV\QRZVLVWHU7KLQNWKLVWKURXJKIRUDPLQXWH ANTIGONE:1RWKLQJ
ANTIGONE storms out, leaving ISMENE sitting there alone. SCHOOL OFFICIAL leaves. Two students from the new school
approach.
ISMENE: I fear for you, Antigone.
STUDENT 1:'LG\RXKHDUWKH\·UHJRLQJWRFORVH-DPDLFD+LJK
6FKRRO"
SCENE 3
STUDENT 2:,JXHVVWKH\GHVHUYHLW,KHDUGWKHLUJUDGXDWLRQ
The following week in school ANTIGONE is hanging posters that UDWHZDVOLNHUHDOO\ORZ
say “Save Jamaica High School.” After hanging them for a while, she is
DSSURDFKHGE\DVFKRRORIÀFLDO STUDENT 1:,GRQ·WNQRZ,WGRHVQ·WVHHPIDLU,PHDQZHJHW
DOOWKLVQHZWHFKQRORJ\LQRXUFODVVURRPVDQGWKH\JHWVKXW
SCHOOL OFFICIAL:+H\\RX:KDWDUH\RXGRLQJ" GRZQ+H\$QWLJRQH:KDWDUH\RXGRLQJ"
ANTIGONE:8KQRWKLQJ:HOO,·PKDQJLQJWKHVHSRVWHUVXS ANTIGONE:,·PWU\LQJWRKDQJWKHVHSRVWHUVXSVRWKDW
VWXGHQWVNQRZDERXWKRZWRKHOSVDYHRXUVFKRRO0D\EH
SCHOOL OFFICIAL inspects the posters. ZHFDQJHWDELJSURWHVWJRLQJ
5 6