Antigone/Ismene: I have vacillated between which of these positions I identified with -
as a reader / viewer of Antigone, sometimes I feel - yes, that's me, I'd stick to the rules I believe in in opposition to the rules of the state / the father / God ... and at other moments I know that I feel happiest, most content following the regulations as laid down by the Powers That Be - by the system that I can feel part of, belong in ... both sisters follow rules, both obey, both conform - but to different creeds, both ideologically adhere - they are sticky these two, like to each other, they repel - two positives / two negatives ...
I think I was sold the Antigone position as that of the rebel, the one who resists, the Communard, the fighter in the International Brigade ... and told that Ismene's position was that of the obedient Catholic, the Monarchist ... but in the face of extinction neither role makes (more) sense; neither knows what's going on, or knows what will happen after - what is beyond dying, what is that eternal not ... is it about adherence any more, the stickiness gives and we spin out into nothing beyond gravity, past ...
This is very useful and seems right to me, thank you so much.
The thing about Ismene is that she DOES quickly come to Antigone's position even to the point of wanting to die in the same way for the same cause, but from a certain point of view--Time?--it is too late. I am not sure I understand why, or rather what, in this moment. But yes, Ismene is neglected. I neglect her.
At the same time, there is a kind of Ismenisation of everyone. There is a Greta Thunberg tweet where she says she can't wait for climate change to be sorted out, so she can relax on holiday, and there is a picture of a beach, or something.
In this moment, it seems like Greta is Ismene and not Antigone, as Ronell and Stiegler say she is. But then, if, as we are saying, Ismene is not so different from Antigone, what does this mean?
Antigone/Ismene: I have vacillated between which of these positions I identified with -
as a reader / viewer of Antigone, sometimes I feel - yes, that's me, I'd stick to the rules I believe in in opposition to the rules of the state / the father / God ... and at other moments I know that I feel happiest, most content following the regulations as laid down by the Powers That Be - by the system that I can feel part of, belong in ... both sisters follow rules, both obey, both conform - but to different creeds, both ideologically adhere - they are sticky these two, like to each other, they repel - two positives / two negatives ...
I think I was sold the Antigone position as that of the rebel, the one who resists, the Communard, the fighter in the International Brigade ... and told that Ismene's position was that of the obedient Catholic, the Monarchist ... but in the face of extinction neither role makes (more) sense; neither knows what's going on, or knows what will happen after - what is beyond dying, what is that eternal not ... is it about adherence any more, the stickiness gives and we spin out into nothing beyond gravity, past ...
This is very useful and seems right to me, thank you so much.
The thing about Ismene is that she DOES quickly come to Antigone's position even to the point of wanting to die in the same way for the same cause, but from a certain point of view--Time?--it is too late. I am not sure I understand why, or rather what, in this moment. But yes, Ismene is neglected. I neglect her.
At the same time, there is a kind of Ismenisation of everyone. There is a Greta Thunberg tweet where she says she can't wait for climate change to be sorted out, so she can relax on holiday, and there is a picture of a beach, or something.
In this moment, it seems like Greta is Ismene and not Antigone, as Ronell and Stiegler say she is. But then, if, as we are saying, Ismene is not so different from Antigone, what does this mean?
Buy yes, you are right, nobody is right.