Antigone from Antigone
Antigone: But I am not the king; and I don't have to set people examples. Little Antigone gets a notion in her head-the nasty brat, the willful, wicked girl; and they put her in a corner all day, or they lock her up in the celler. And she deserves it. She shouldn't have disobeyed. I don't want to be right! Understand! The first word I ever heard out of any of you was that word "understand." Why didn't I "understand" that I must not play with water-cold, black, beautiful flowing water-because I'd spill it on the palace tiles. Or with the earth, because earth dirties a little girl's frock. Why didn't I "understand" that nice children don't eat out of every dish at once; or give everything in their pockets to beggars; or run in the wind so fast that they fall down; or ask for a drink when they're perspiring; or want to go swimming when it's either too early or too late, merely, because they happen to feel like swimming. Understand! I don't want to understand. There'll be time enought to understand when I'm old.... If I ever am old. But not now.