Oedipus Journal #4

Creative Response, Antigone's Diary after her father's banishment

Dear Diary,

It has been 9 years since the tragedy of my father's fate and my mother's death. Uncle Creon has taken good care of my sister and I, though we do greatly miss our father. Our old father, not the man of agony and sorrow that we last embraced. He was very good to us before he made that dreadful discover, cursed by the gods. Oedipus the great, though many remember him for his valor and his trickery at defeating the sphynix, I remember him for his loving words and his gently touch on my forehead when I was ill, the way he would softly tell stories beside my bed. He truly did love his children. But to have seen him on that day, his last day in Thebes. Such a terrible sight as one I would never forget. His eyes punctured and gushing blood, defiled by his own hand. I was frightened. I wish to the gods he never tortured himself in such a way. That day I wanted to run, to flee the gruesome sight before me. I could not understand why a man would do that to himself, I could not see the truth behind his actions. I feared him. But when I heard him begging for us to come, to hold him. I couldn't deny my father in his agony. I ran to embrace him, I forgot the eyeless face staring down at me, I let the memories and the feelings from before fill me. I wanted my last memory of him to be good, though it was impossible. Those red sockets of eye flesh still haunt me to this day. Oh I wish my father were still here, to comfort me. To show me the love he once did. If only he never discovered the truth, if only he was still blinded by false truths, and not blinded by his own hand....

Antigone