The30MinuteShakespeare

Hi all!

Here is the script to "Let's Make a Scene: The Merchant of Venice for Wednesday, March  30, 2022 at  7 PM.

You can cut and paste it into a doc or download the doc or text document attached to the bottom of the page; whatever works for you!

See you then!

Nick

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The Merchant of Venice: The 30-Minute Shakespeare

Characters in the Play

The following is a list of characters that appear in this cutting of The Merchant of Venice.

Lancelet: Servant to Shylock, and later to Bassanio 

Antonio: A merchant of Venice 

Solarino: Companion of Antonio and Bassanio 

Solanio: Companion of Antonio and Bassanio 

Gratiano: Companion of Antonio and Bassanio 

Bassanio: A Venetian gentleman, suitor to Portia 

Portia: An heiress of Belmont

Nerissa: Portia’s waiting-gentlewoman 

Shylock: A Jewish moneylender in Venice 

Prince of Morocco: Suitor to Portia 

Prince of Aragon: Suitor to Portia

Duke of Venice 

Lorenzo: Companion of Antonio and Bassanio

Jessica: Shylock’s daughter c

Chorus Members

Narrator

**

Act ii, Scene ii  Act i, Scene i)

Venice. A street.

Lancelet

The fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me Saying to me “Good Lancelet, use your legs, Run away.” Well my conscience says, “Good Lancelet, Budge not.” “Budge,” says the fiend.

“Budge not,” says my conscience.

To be ruled by my conscience, I should stay With the Jew, my master, who (God bless the mark) Is a kind of devil, and to run away from the Jew I should be ruled by the fiend, who (saving your reverence) Is the Devil himself.

The fiend gives the more friendly counsel.

I will run, fiend. I will run!

Narrator

Bassanio informs his friend Antonio of his love for the wealthy Portia, and Antonio offers to loan Bassanio some money. (Never a good idea.)

Antonio

In sooth, I know not why I am so sad:

It wearies me; you say it wearies you; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, That I have much ado to know myself.

Solarino 

Your mind is tossing on the ocean; There, where your argosies with portly sail, Do overpeer the petty traffickers, As they fly by them with their woven wings. What harm a wind too great at sea might do.

I know, Antonio Is sad to think upon his merchandise.

Antonio

My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.

Solanio

Then let us say you are sad, Because you are not merry.

Antonio [to Bassanio]

Well, tell me now what lady is the same To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage?

Bassanio

’Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, How much I have disabled mine estate.

My chief care Is to come fairly off from the great debts Wherein my time something too prodigal Hath left me gaged.

Antonio

Good Bassanio, My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlock’d to your occasions. Therefore, speak.

Bassanio 

In Belmont is a lady richly left;

And she is fair, and, fairer than that word, Of wondrous virtues: sometimes from her eyes I did receive fair speechless messages:

Her name is Portia.

The four winds blow in from every coast 

Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks Hang on her temples like a golden fleece;

O my Antonio, had I but the means To hold a rival place with one of them.

Antonio

Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea; therefore go forth; Try what my credit can in Venice do:

To furnish thee to Belmont, to fair Portia.

Act i, Scene ii

Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Narrator

Portia bemoans her late father’s rule that she can only be married if one of her suitor’s chooses the correct chest of gold, silver, or lead. I wouldn’t like that either.

Portia

By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world.

Nerissa

You would be, sweet madam, if your miseries were in the same abundance as your good fortunes are.

Portia

I may neither choose whom I would nor refuse whom I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father. 

Nerissa 

Your father was ever virtuous; therefore the lottery, that he hath devised in the three chests of gold, silver, and lead, whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you, will, no doubt, never be chosen by any rightly but one who shall rightly love.

Do you not remember, lady, in your father’s time, a Venetian, a scholar and a soldier?

Portia 

Yes, yes, it was Bassanio; (catches herself and sits down as if nothing has happened) as I think, he was so called.

Nerissa 

True, madam: he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady.

Portia

I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise. Come, Nerissa.

Act i, Scene iii

Venice. A public place.

Narrator

Antonio borrows money from Shylock the Jew, with a disturbing condition.

Shylock

Three thousand ducats; well.

Bassanio 

Ay, sir, for three months.

For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. Shall I know your answer?

Shylock

Antonio is sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: He hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; and other ventures he hath, squandered abroad. But ships are but boards, there is the peril of winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient. May I speak with Antonio?

Bassanio

If it please you to dine with us.

Shylock

Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into. I will buy with you, sell with you, but I will not eat with you. Who is he comes here?

Bassanio

This is Signior Antonio.

Shylock 

[aside] I hate him for he is a Christian, But more for he lends out money gratis and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice. He hates our sacred nation, and he rails On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift, Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe, If I forgive him!

[to Antonio] Rest you fair, good signior.

Antonio

Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow 

Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, I’ll break a custom.

Shall we be beholding to you?

Shylock 

Signior Antonio, many a time and oft In the Rialto you have rated me About my moneys and my usances:

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug, For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe. You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, Well then, it now appears you need my help: Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys?

Antonio 

I am as like to call thee so again, To spit on thee again.

Shylock

Why, look you, how you storm!

Go with me to a notary, seal me there Your single bond; and, in a merry sport, If you repay me not on such a day, Let the forfeit Be nominated for an equal pound 

Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Bassanio 

You shall not seal to such a bond for me.

Antonio 

Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it:

[to Shylock] Yes Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

Shylock

Then meet me forthwith at the notary’s.

Antonio

Hie thee, gentle Jew.

The Hebrew will turn Christian: He grows kind.

Bassanio 

I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind.

Antonio

Come on: In this there can be no dismay; My ships come home a month before the day.

Act ii, Scene i | Act ii, Scene Vii)

Belmont. A room in PorTiA’s house.

Narrator

The Prince of Morocco tries his luck at picking the right chest to win Portia’s hand. Good luck!

Morocco

Mislike me not for my complexion, The shadow’d livery of the burnish’d sun, I would not change this hue, Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen. 

Portia

You must take your chance, And either not attempt to choose at all Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong Never to speak to lady afterward In way of marriage: Therefore be advised.

Morocco

Good fortune then!

To make me blest or cursed among men.

Portia

Go draw aside the curtains, noble prince. Now make your choice.

Morocco

How shall I know if I do choose the right?

Portia

The one of them contains my picture, prince: If you choose that, then I am yours withal.

Morocco

Some god direct my judgment! Let me see; What says this leaden casket?

 “Who chooseth me must give

and hazard all he hath.” I’ll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead.

[looks at silver casket] 

What says the silver with her virgin hue?

“Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.” I do in birth deserve her, and in fortunes.

Let’s see once more this saying graved in gold “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.” Why, that’s the lady; all the world desires her; One of these three contains her heavenly picture.

[looks at gold casket] 

Here an angel in a golden bed Lies all within. Deliver me the key:

Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!

Portia 

There, take it, prince; and if my form lie there, Then I am yours.

Morocco

O hell! What have we here?

A carrion Death, within whose empty eye There is a written scroll! I’ll read the writing.

Chorus

“All that glitters is not gold; Often have you heard that told: 

Gilded tombs do worms enfold.

Fare you well; your suit is cold.” 

Morocco

Cold, indeed; and labor lost:

Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost! Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart To take a tedious leave: Thus losers part.

Portia

A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go. Let all of his complexion choose me so.

Act ii, Scene iX

Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Narrator

Next up is the Prince of Arragon. Will he fare any better? Place your bets.

Nerissa

Quick, quick, I pray thee; draw the curtain straight: The Prince of Arragon hath ta’en his oath, And comes to his election presently.

Portia

Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince: If you choose that wherein I am contain’d, Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemnized: But if you fail, without more speech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately. 

Aragon

Fortune now To my heart’s hope! Gold, silver, and base lead.

Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath.” You shall look fairer, ere I give or hazard.

What says the golden chest? Ha! Let me see:

 “Who chooseth me shall gain what

many men desire.” That “many” may be meant by the fool multitude. Why, then to thee, thou silver treasure-house; 

“Who chooseth me shall get as much

as he deserves.” I will assume desert. Give me a key for this, And instantly unlock my fortunes here.

Aragon

What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot, Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head? What is here?

“Some there be that shadows kiss; Such have but a shadow’s bliss:

I will ever be your head:

So be gone: You are sped.” With one fool’s head I came to woo, But I go away with two.

Sweet, adieu. I’ll keep my oath, Patiently to bear my wroth?

Portia

Thus hath the candle singed the moth. O, these deliberate fools!

Act iii, Scene ii)

Belmont. A room in Portia’s house.

Narrator

Portia’s final suitor is Bassanio. [whispers] I’m rooting for this guy.

Portia

Come, Nerissa; for I long to see Quick Cupid’s post that comes so mannerly.

Nerissa 

Bassanio, lord Love, if thy will it be!

Portia 

I pray you, tarry: Pause a day or two Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong, I lose your company: herefore forbear awhile.) Beshrew your eyes, 

They have o’erlook’d me and divided me; One half of me is yours, the other half yours.

Bassanio 

Let me choose For as I am, I live upon the rack.

But let me to my fortune and the caskets.

Portia 

Away, then! I am lock’d in one of them:

If you do love me, you will find me out.

Let music sound while he doth make his choice.

Chorus

Tell me where is fancy bred, Or in the heart, or in the head? How begot, how nourished? Reply, reply.

It is engender’d in the eyes, With gazing fed; and fancy dies In the cradle where it lies.

Let us all ring fancy’s knell I’ll begin it—Ding, dong, bell.

Bassanio

The world is still deceived with ornament. 

[examines gold casket] 

Therefore, thou gaudy gold, Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee; [examines silver casket] 

Nor none of thee, thou pale 

and common drudge ’Tween man and man: but thou, thou meager lead [picks up lead casket] 

Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence; And here choose I; joy be the consequence!

What find I here?

Fair Portia’s counterfeit! What demi-god Hath come so near creation? Move these eyes? Seem they in motion? Here are sever’d lips, Parted with sugar breath.) Here’s the scroll, The continent and summary of my fortune.

Chorus 

“You that choose not by the view, Chance as fair and choose as true! Turn you where your lady is And claim her with a loving kiss.”

Portia

You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand, Such as I am. 

Happiest of all is that her gentle spirit Commits itself to yours.

Bassanio

Madam, you have bereft me of all words, Only my blood speaks, to you in my veins.

Nerissa

Good joy, my lord and lady!

Gratiano

I may be married too.

I got a promise of this fair one. To have her love, provided that your fortune Achieved her mistress.

Portia 

Is this true, Nerissa?

Nerissa

Madam, it is.

Bassanio

O sweet Portia, When I told you My state was nothing, I should then have told you That I was worse than nothing; for, indeed, 

I have engaged myself to a dear friend.

Portia 

Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble?

What sum owes he the Jew?

Bassanio

For me three thousand ducats.

Portia 

What, no more? [Portia hands him a bag of money]

Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond.

Bassanio

Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make haste.

Act iV, Scene i

Venice. A court of justice.

Narrator

In the courtroom, Shylock arrives to claim his pound of flesh from Antonio. [whispers] There is a mystery guest.

Duke

Antonio, I am sorry for thee: Thou art come to answer an inhuman wretch, void and empty From any dram of mercy. 

Antonio

I am arm’d To suffer, with a quietness of spirit, The very tyranny and rage of his.

Duke

Go one, and call the Jew into the court.

Duke 

Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, That thou but lead’st this fashion of thy malice To the last hour of act; and then ’tis thought Thou’lt show thy mercy and remorse more strange Than is thy strange apparent cruelty; We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

Shylock 

By our holy Sabbath have I sworn To have the due and forfeit of my bond:

I give no reason, nor I will not, More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio.

Are you answer’d?

Bassanio 

This is no answer, thou unfeeling man. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.

Shylock

If every ducat in six thousand ducats Were in six parts and every part a ducat, I would not draw them; I would have my bond.

Duke How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendering none?

Shylock 

What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?

You have among you many a purchased slave, Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules, You use in abject and in slavish parts, Because you bought them.

The pound of flesh, which I demand of him, Is dearly bought; ’tis mine and I will have it.

Solarino

My lord, here stays without A messenger with letters from the doctor, New come from Padua.

Duke

Bring us the letter; call the messenger.

[Enter Nerissa from stage right, dressed as a lawyer’s clerk.] 

Duke

Came you from Padua, from Bellario?

Nerissa

From both, my lord. Bellario greets your grace.

Duke

This letter from Bellario doth commend A young and learned doctor to our court. Where is he?

Nerissa

He attendeth here hard by. 

[Enter Portia, dressed as a doctor of laws.]

Duke

And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

Give me your hand. Come you from old Bellario?

Portia

I did, my lord.

I am informed thoroughly of the cause.

Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?

Shylock 

Shylock is my name. the Merchant of Venice 

Portia

[to Antonio] You stand within his danger, do you not?

Antonio 

Ay, so he says.

Portia

Do you confess the bond?

Antonio

I do.

Portia

Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shylock 

On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.

Portia

[to Shylock] The quality of mercy is not strain’d, 

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

Shylock 

My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Portia

I pray you, let me look upon the bond.

Why, this bond is forfeit; 

And lawfully by this the Jew may claim A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off Nearest the merchant’s heart.

Be merciful:

Take twice thy money; bid me tear the bond.

Shylock 

There is no power in the tongue of man To alter me: I stay here on my bond.

Portia

Why then, thus it is:

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.

Shylock

We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence.

Portia

Tarry a little; there is something else.

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words expressly are “a pound of flesh:”

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh; But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate Unto the state of Venice.

Shylock

Is that the law?

Portia

Thyself shalt see the act:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assured Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.

Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more But just a pound of flesh: If the scale do turn But in the estimation of a hair, Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.

Shylock 

Give me my principal, and let me go.

Portia

Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew. 

Shylock

I’ll stay no longer. 

Portia

Tarry, Jew:

The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice, If it be proved against an alien

That by direct or indirect attempts He seek the life of any citizen, The party ’gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods; the other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state; And the offender’s life lies in the mercy Of the duke only.

Down therefore and beg mercy of the duke.

Duke

That thou shalt see the difference of our spirits, I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it:

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio’s; The other half comes to the general state. 

Shylock

Nay, take my life and all; pardon not that: You take my life When you do take the means whereby I live.

Portia

What mercy can you render him, Antonio?

Antonio

So please my lord the Duke and all the court To quit the fine for one half of his goods, I am content; More, that, for this favor, He presently become a Christian.

Portia

Art thou contented, Jew? What dost thou say?

Shylock 

I am content.

I pray you, give me leave to go from hence; I am not well.

Duke

Get thee gone.

Portia [to Bassanio,]

I pray you, know me when we meet again: I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

act V, Scene i

Belmont. Avenue to Portia’s house.

Enter Narrator from stage rear, coming downstage center.

Narrator

All secrets are revealed. Because this is a comedy, everybody ends up happy. Except Shylock. Which is kind of a big “except.” Enjoy!

Lorenzo

The moon shines bright: in such a night as this, When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees. In such a night Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew And with an unthrift love did run from Venice As far as Belmont.

Jessica

In such a night Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well, Stealing her soul with many vows of faith. And ne’er a true one. 

Lorenzo

In such a night Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Slander her love,

and he forgave her.

[Enter Portia and Nerissa from stage right, still dressed as a lawyer and clerk, ready to surprise their husbands.]

Lorenzo  [to Portia] Your husband is at hand.

Portia

You are welcome home, my lord.

Bassanio

I thank you . . .?

[Portia takes off the robe and hat to reveal herself. Nerissa does the same.]

Portia

You are all amazed: Portia was the doctor, Nerissa there her clerk

Antonio

I am dumb.

Bassanio 

Were you the doctor and I knew you not?

Gratiano 

Were you the clerk?

[Nerissa nods her head and laughs.]

Bassanio

Sweet doctor, you shall be my bed-fellow: When I am absent, then lie with my wife.

Nerissa [to Lorenzo]

There do I give to you and Jessica, From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, After his death, of all he dies possess’d of.

Lorenzo

Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Of starved people.

Portia

Let us go in; and we will answer all things faithfully.

All 

I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?

All hold hands and take a bow!

*****

Hi all, and thanks for participating in Let's Make a Scene!

We are going to go around the Zoom (alphabetically for simplicity) and everybody will read one line (by that I mean whatever the character says until the next character speaks).

During the Chorus parts Everybody can talk at once!

Please mute yourself when you are not talking so we don't get a lot of feedback.

Let's have more fun with this than Caesar did!

Happy Ides of March!  Feel free to download the PDF of the script!

Nick Newlin

Here is the script!:

The 30-Second Shakespeare Challenge!

 Please video yourself reciting some or all of this monologue and you will automatically win a Free PDF be entered into a drawing from the pool of participants, with the winner of the random drawing March 1st  receiving ALL the books in the series in PDF format! You can recite just one line, or the whole monologue or anything in between! We just want you to get some of the words in your mouth and out again! 

 Feel free to use the “monologue notes” below for some ideas on how to approach the speech!

 You can email me the video at 30minuteshakespeare@gmail.com, or if the video is too large to send via email, use this Dropbox link:

https://www.dropbox.com/request/Yc4dREpVSpZVv3p5xgYs

  All contestants agree that I can post their video The 30-Minute Shakespeare  Facebook page.  If you wish to remain anonymous I can post the video/audio, but leave out your name.  Contestants of any age and experience from 3 years old to 99 can join!

Drawing will be held Monday March 1st, 2021 at Noon, so please get your videos in by then!

*****

• Monologue option #1:

Ophelia (from Hamlet Act III, Scene I):

“O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!

The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s, eye, tongue, sword, 

Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state,

The glass of fashion and the mold of form,

Th’ observed of all observers, quite, quite down!

And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, 

That sucked the honey of his musicked vows, 

Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,

Like sweet bells jangled, out of time and harsh;

That unmatched form and stature of blown youth 

Blasted with ecstasy. o, woe is me 

T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see!”

Monologue Notes

 It is important to know your character’s entire journey throughout the play, even if you are only performing a scene or monologue. When playing this speech by Ophelia, it is helpful to know Ophelia goes mad several scenes later and subsequently drowns herself. Perhaps you can exhibit hints of Ophelia’s future breakdown during her emotional response to Hamlet’s presumed madness. Experiment with Ophelia’s tone. Try speaking as a fully sane person who is upset over the loss of reason in a loved one. Then try the speech as someone who is so distraught that she herself is losing her grip on reason. Is there anything in the text that can aid you in your choice of how to depict Ophelia’s mental and emotional state?

Ophelia is still sane during this speech and is bemoaning Hamlet’s apparent mental decline as evidenced by his irrational and cruel behavior toward her in the scene. She is hurt, of course. She and Hamlet have been intimate, and first he tells her he loved her once, then immediately denies it. This monologue contains striking irony in her description of Hamlet’s madness since she herself goes mad with fatal consequences.

The monologue can be broken down into four distinct sections, each with its own mood and tone. First, she describes Hamlet’s good qualities and laments their absence in his present condition. Second, she describes her own sad state as a result of Hamlet’s mistreatment. Third, she describes Hamlet’s mental condition in detail. Finally, she restates her own distress.

Let’s start with the first word: “O.” There is a Shakespeare theatre game that I learned from Folger Education, wherein the speaker says the word “O” in several different ways: surprised, horrified, sad, weary, etc. The sound of the word “O” changes with each reading, and indeed the sound of any word in a monologue changes with the textual and emotional interpretation you choose.

Experiment with two or three different ways of saying “O”: shock, dismay/sadness, and, just for variety, anger. How does that change the sound of the word? Think about what has just happened: Hamlet has verbally abused Ophelia. Perhaps, as some renditions have chosen, he even threw her to the ground. If you are playing this monologue as part of the scene, you can react to what has just happened on the stage. If you are playing the monologue alone, you may summon a reaction based upon what you imagine has just happened.

Notice how many times the letter “o” appears in the first two lines: “O”, “noble” “o’erthrown,” “soldier’s,” “scholar’s,” “tongue,” and “sword.” This gives you an opportunity to find a place to echo or restate the “o” sound, not only for poetic reasons but also for emotional ones. Pick two more “o” sounds to emphasize. Words that immediately come to mind are “noble” and “o’erthrown,” but you should experiment to see if any others resonate with you.

With each descriptive word in the second line, Ophelia describes Hamlet’s qualities in terms of the roles he plays: courtier, soldier, and scholar. The second part of the sentence attaches a body part or object to each role. Oddly, they are not in the right order. You must look at the speech and attach the corresponding body part or object to its role. The first role, “courtier,” matches with the first descriptor, “eye.” However, the second role is “soldier,” and the second descriptor is “tongue,” which actually applies to “scholar.”

Should you wish to add a gesture to each word, first try doing so with the roles (courtier, soldier, scholar) and then try the gesture again, this time with the body part or object: (eye, sword, tongue.) The key here is that you have options to work with; by experimenting with alternate gestures and vocal interpretations, you might unearth a fresh view of the text.

For the next three lines, Ophelia extols Hamlet’s virtues. Note that she is listing his good qualities directly on the heels of suffering his abuse; this says a lot about her character and her opinion of Hamlet. There could be a bittersweetness to her descriptions, since these are attributes that seem to have now disappeared.

Experiment with saying these three lines (beginning with “Th’expectancy” and ending with “observers”) in two ways. First say them as if Ophelia is happily in love with Hamlet and enumerating his good points. Second, utter them sadly, as if mourning the loss of these qualities. Finally, see if you can keep some of the initial joy of the first reading so that your description of Hamlet is at once regretful of loss and remembering happiness. You may end up choosing a delivery that is more definitively mournful, but I still suggest trying alternate interpretations because it is a good way to discover nuances in the character and the monologue.

The words “quite, quite down!” echo the “o” sounds we explored earlier in the speech. Perhaps you could draw the “o” sound on “down” to parallel an emotion-provoking sound you made earlier. Notice how in the next two lines (the second of four sections in this speech wherein Ophelia describes her heartbroken state), the hard consonant “k” and “d” sounds repeat themselves: “deject,” “wretched,” “sucked,” and “musicked.” Shakespeare has a way of painting an emotional picture with the sound of his words. If you utter these sounds with that awareness, your speech will resonate with color and emotional impact.

 In the third section, Ophelia describes Hamlet’s present mental condition. She begins by referring again to one of Hamlet’s positive traits: “that noble and most sovereign reason.” Notice how every line in the speech except this one is written in iambic pentameter. “Now see that noble and most sovereign reason” has an extra syllable. Think of the iambic pentameter’s rhythm as a heartbeat. When the speaker is in a heightened emotional state, the heart skips a beat. Look at when the iambic pentameter loses its rhythm and see if that provides you with an opportunity for a dramatic beat. This might simply be a pause before the word “reason.”

Ophelia describes Hamlet’s “madness” and a few scenes later she goes mad herself. This might be an opportunity for you as an actor to show flashes of Ophelia’s impending insanity. Hamlet’s abuse of her in this scene is the first real trigger of her decline. When describing Hamlet’s madness, traces of mental instability might show in Ophelia’s face.

How does one portray someone heading toward madness? Let’s start with the imagery of the bells. When Ophelia says “Like sweet bells jangled, out of time and harsh” she could lift her hands up to her ears as if hearing something loud. On the words “blasted with ecstasy,” Ophelia might widen her eyes, perhaps breaking into a grimace or grin. It might help to look in a mirror or videotape yourself when trying these physical gestures and facial expressions. Overexaggerate the gestures and expressions to a grotesque level, then bring them back down. Find a level of “expressed madness” that fits the words and the scene.

The final sentence begins with the syllable “O” repeated twice, which can provide a nice symmetry to the monologue. Is it the same “O” that we started the speech with or is it completely different? After the first “O,” Ophelia laments Hamlet’s condition. By the final “O,” she is bemoaning her own condition: “O, woe is me.” Although this is not a particularly long monologue, the phrases are rich in poetic imagery and emotion, and it can be a vehicle for you to further the story of one of Shakespeare’s great tragic heroines.

Suggested Viewing

Hamlet, 1948 Director: Laurence Olivier Starring: Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons

Hamlet, 1976 Director: Celestino Coronado Starring: David Meyer, Hellen Mirren

Portia (as Balthazar; she is a woman, disguised as a male lawyer)

From The Merchant of Venice. Act IV, Scene I

The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven 

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. 

‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes 

The thronèd monarch better than his crown. 

His scepter shows the force of temporal power, 

The attribute to awe and majesty 

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; 

But mercy is above this sceptered sway.

It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings;

It is an attribute to god himself; 

and earthly power doth then show likest god’s 

When mercy seasons justice. therefore, Jew, 

Though justice be thy plea, consider this:

That in the course of justice none of us 

Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy, 

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render 

The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much 

To mitigate the justice of thy plea, 

Which, if thou follow, this strict court of Venice 

Must needs give sentence ’gainst the merchant there.”

Monologue Notes Merchant of Venice:

Portia is twice disguised in this scene: She is pretending to be a man, and she is also masquerading as a lawyer (“Balthazar”). Shylock, who has the law on his side in requesting a pound of Antonio’s flesh as punishment for failure to repay a loan on time, has had the upper hand in the proceedings thus far. Despite the falseness of her charade, Portia’s words must ring true with regard to their message: her heartfelt hope that Shylock show compassion.

To what extent must Portia continue to attempt to conceal her true identity in this passage? Should she move and speak in a “manly” and “lawyerly” fashion? Clearly it is in her interest to maintain this façade, but to do too much of it would detract from the genuine quality of the speech. As Balthazar, hold yourself with excellent posture and speak your words with authority, but do not force your voice into a significantly lower range just to give the impression of masculinity. You must speak naturally for the monologue to come across as heartfelt.

The speech is written largely in iambic pentameter, but there are several lines that contain an extra syllable. When this occurs, I look at the text to see if there appears to be a reason for this. If we look at the iambic pentameter rhythm as a heartbeat, an extra line might indicate that the speaker’s heart has skipped a beat due to an emotional or physical response to something in the text.This interpretation does not seem to apply, an extra beat in what is normally a line of iambic pentameter should be recognized and possibly acted upon.

The first instance of an additional syllable occurs in the second line: “It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.” The word “heaven” could be contracted (“heav’n”) to sound like one syllable, but I suggest giving the word its poetic power and pausing slightly before saying it. This will give “heaven” more prominence and convey its full impact to the listener. Though the word is at the end of the line, you must continue through to the next line until you reach the end of the sentence. In general, if the end of a line is in the middle of a sentence, do not stop! Aside from moments in which you are consciously choosing to pause, let the punctuation, and not the word’s position in the line, determine your stopping points.

After Portia says, “It is twice blest,” she describes several examples of the “double blessing” of mercy. On the line “It blesseth him that gives and him that takes,” you might add a gesture with each hand palm up and out to the side as if balancing your hands like the scales of justice.

In the next few lines, Portia outlines the difference between the temporal power of the king’s scepter (i.e., a power that is wordly and void of any sacred qualities) and the more spiritual force of mercy, which is “enthroned in the hearts of kings.” To give the speech its full impact, it will be helpful to decide which words to emphasize here. In the 2004 film version of The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino and Joseph Fiennes, the actress playing Portia (Lynn Collins) chose to place emphasis on the following words: “But mercy is above this sceptered sway./It is enthroned in the hearts of kings/It is an attribute to God Himself.”

Why did she choose those three words? First, examine the rhythmic structure. The emphasized words are in the center of each line. On the first line, she accents the third beat (out of five), and on the next two lines she highlights the fourth beat.

Notice also that the words she focuses on are all spiritual in connotation. “Above” can allude to heaven. The “heart” is presumed to be the seat of love, and “God Himself” is perhaps the highest of all powers. Try accenting the word “mercy,” too, and then speak the line again without this emphasis. Is there a difference to your ear? To fully flesh out these speeches, it helps to say them out loud to yourself in various ways: stressing different words, experimenting with dynamics of volume, and trying different physical gestures in front of a mirror or video camera.

Monologue work is comprehensive: It engages our intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical qualities and asks the actor to unify those characteristics into a piece of theatre that resonates with the audience on several levels. If Portia simply looks up a little when she says the words “above” and “God,” she might create a subtle visual cue for viewers, pointing out the “high” nature of mercy. Likewise when she refers to “earthly power” in the next line, she can gesture downward.

These are simple physical movements, but when done sparingly and at the appropriate moment, they can add visual texture to the speech and enhance the words’ meaning. I envision Portia’s hands to be like the classic “scales of justice” when she says, “When mercy seasons justice.” I have referenced the physical gesture of “scales of justice” earlier in these notes, and here again is another possibility for using that same motion. You can place your right hand to the side on the word “mercy,” and your left hand to the other side on “justice,” then bring the hands up and down as if to balance the two.

You will need to decide when to use this physical action in the piece since you want to avoid repeating the same movements too many times. We want to keep it subtle and tasteful. We don’t want to hammer our point home; we want the audience to fill in some of the images with their own imaginations. Thus, physical gestures of this sort are more effective if used economically, but they do have their dramatic power. Experiment in front of a mirror and decide whereif at all—you want to use the gesture.

The monologue changes mood with the following words: “Therefore, Jew . . .” Until this point, Portia has not referred to Shylock by name or race. She has been talking to him as a fellow human. The word “Jew” here is jarring because it brings us back to Shylock’s Jewishness. In describing mercy, Portia never refers to any ethnicity. Try playing the word “Jew” as a pivotal word that brings Portia back into the character of Balthazar, which forces her to recommit to the charade that she is a male lawyer. In other words, the word “Jew” brings Portia back to the legal business at hand. Portia might return to a more masculine and lawyerly demeanor here, as if her talk of mercy was more Portia talking than Balthazar. Square your shoulders. Lower the pitch of your voice a little. Take a couple of authoritative steps toward Shylock.

The closing lines might be more presentational, delivered for the benefit of the courtroom and the audience, whereas Portia’s talk of mercy was directed more at Shylock. Look out to the audience as if they are members of the courtroom. Portia continues to exhort Shylock to show mercy on Bassanio, but her tone is more official. Notice how she repeats the word “justice” three times in the final three sentences. Give a stern quality to the words “strict” and “sentence” by emphasizing the “s” and “t” sounds and bouncing the clipped consonants off your tongue.

Portia is a female heiress, but in this scene she plays a male lawyer. Determine at which points the “real” Portia emerges in the monologue and where she is more likely to be acting as Balthazar. This will showcase your acting ability and clarify the dynamics of the speech to the audience. Portia’s gentler qualities could dominate the first part of the monologue. Consider making “Therefore, Jew” a turning point and have “Balthazar” and his legal acumen finish the speech from there.

Again, it is important to know how the scene—and the playends. Portia/Balthazar does indeed impose a very harsh sentence on Shylock. After this monologue, Portia advises the court that if Shylock spills a “jot of blood” or takes any more or less than an exact pound of flesh, he will die and all his goods will be confiscated. Perhaps her own mercy has its limits when Shylock shows no compassion himself.

This is one of Shakespeare’s more famous speeches because it addresses the “quality of mercy” in a poetic and timeless fashion, using elegant phrases and beautifully descriptive language and imagery. Enjoy portraying Portia as Balthazar, a character who displays both the gentleness of mercy and the cruelty of justice.

Suggested Viewing

The merchant of Venice, 1973 Director: John Sichel Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright

The merchant of Venice, 2004 Director: Michael Radford Starring: Al Pacino, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins

 *********

• Monologue option #3:

Falstaff from The Merry Wives of Windsor Act V, Scene V

Enter SIR JOHN FALStAFF wearing a buck’s head.

 The Windsor bell hath struck twelve. the minute draws 

on. now, the hot-blooded gods assist me! Remember, 

Jove, thou wast a bull for thy Europa; love set on 

thy horns. o powerful love, that in some respects 

makes a beast a man, in some other a man a beast! 

You were also, Jupiter, a swan for the love of Leda.

O omnipotent love, how near the god drew to the 

complexion of a goose! a fault done first in the form of 

a beast; o Jove, a beastly fault! and then another fault

in the semblance of a fowl; think on ’t, Jove, a foul 

fault. When gods have hot backs, what shall poor men 

do? For me, I am here a Windsor stag, and the fattest, 

I think, i’ th’ forest. Send me a cool rut-time, Jove, or 

who can blame me to piss 

my tallow?

 The Merry Wives of Windsor Monologue notes

 Act V, scene V: Falstaff Monologue

 In this final scene of The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff is disguised as a buck. The actor playing Falstaff is then playing the part of somebody playing a part. Falstaff can snort and stomp his feet as if he is a stag excitedly awaiting a doe.

Falstaff has come to the woods hoping to achieve his reward, the prize he has been seeking throughout the play: the love of both Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page. A few lines later, when the two women arrive, Falstaff exclaims, “Divide me like a bribed buck, each a haunch.” His joy is short-lived as he is quickly tormented and brought down to earth by the vengeful villagers. During this monologue, however, Falstaff is quivering with anticipation.

In his first line, Falstaff states, “The Windsor bell hath struck twelve.” If the line were part of an actual staged scene, church bells would likely ring audibly. If the monologue is performed solo, the actor can cock his head and pause as if hearing bells.

Falstaff is not just talking to himself; he also makes several direct addresses to Jove, the King of the Gods, sometimes known as Jupiter. Perhaps Falstaff can look up when addressing Jove and look down when referring to himself. Throughout the monologue, Falstaff’s words paint contrasting images, ranging from the sublime (“gods,” “Jove,” “Europa,” “omnipotent,” and “love”) to the earthly (“hot-blooded,” “beast,” “hot backs,” “rut-time,” and “piss my tallow”).

The sublime words have a different color and texture than the earthly words, and the actor can use contrasting physical gestures and facial expressions to accompany them. Perhaps in addition to looking upward when addressing Jove, Falstaff could raise his arms plaintively as if requesting a boon. By contrast, when referring to “beast,” a word he says four times during this speech, Falstaff could sniff the air or jut his jaw forward. Playing the contrasts described in the text—God/man, man/beast—gives Falstaff vocal and physical fodder to provide the scene with drama and dynamics.

Interestingly, Falstaff’s words ultimately depict the gods themselves as having human shortcomings. The tone shifts when Falstaff refers to Jupiter taking on the shape of a swan, referring to it as a “foul fault.” Could Falstaff pause here, become amused by his own joke, and then laugh? Look for moments in the speech where a pause can allow the audience to laugh or the character to react to his own words. Falstaff justifies his own human fallibilities when he describes the gods themselves as equally flawed.

Try playing the scene in different ways, first brazenly and with bravado and then more contritely, almost apologetically. See what these two approaches offer you as a performer. Falstaff could begin the speech quietly and then raise the volume on “O powerful love.” The volume and energy could remain high through “What shall poor men do?” He could turn the volume back down on “For me, I am here a Windsor stag, and the fattest, I think, i’ th’ forest.” Falstaff could play this line ruefully and with a tinge of self-consciousness and vulnerability or simply with a jolly laugh at his own portliness and the funny image of a fat deer. Perhaps the most nuanced performance is not one-dimensional. Falstaff could be simultaneously ashamed of his weight and light-hearted about the fact. The choice is yours: Experiment!

Where are the pauses and breathing points in this speech? When Falstaff pauses, is he looking and listening for signs of his mates? The actor should stay in the imaginary setting. Likewise, if the player is not wearing a costume for the monologue, he should continue to act as if he has on a mask, antlers, and perhaps a fur cape.

Make sure to understand what the phrases mean (“hot backs,” “rut-time,” “piss my tallow”), who the gods are (“Jove,” “Europa,” “Jupiter,” “Leda”), and the mythological stories Falstaff refers to. When you encounter a proper noun or historical reference, take the time to look it up. You will find great rewards, as a small amount of research can round out your understanding of the character, story, and themes in the text.

Falstaff is a fascinating character, one who is at once bumbling and erudite. He possesses many charms, but he also has a pathetic side. He is not one-dimensional. In many ways, Falstaff has godly qualities—or so he would like to believe. Here he is in the forest, teetering between man and beast, but ultimately he is human and must be brought down to earth with the rest of us. Enjoy playing this unique creation of Shakespeare’s imagination. Personalize the performance, and infuse the character with your own singular gifts.

Suggested Viewing

The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1972 Director: David Hugh Jones Starring: Richard Griffiths, Judy Davis

The Merry Wives of Windsor, 2011 Director: Christopher Luscombe Starring: Christopher Benjamin, Sarah Woodward

******

Monologue Option #4:

Duke Senior/ As You Like It Act II Scene I

Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile, 

Hath not old custom made this life more sweet 

Than that of painted pomp? are not these woods 

More free from peril than the envious court? 

Here feel we not the penalty of Adam,

The seasons’ difference, as the icy fang 

And churlish chiding of the winter’s wind, 

Which when it bites and blows upon my body 

Even till I shrink with cold, I smile and say 

“This is no flattery. these are counselors 

That feelingly persuade me what I am.”

Sweet are the uses of adversity, 

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, 

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.

And this our life, exempt from public haunt, 

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

Sermons in stones, and good in everything.

Monologue Notes Duke Senior As You Like It

Act II Scene I  : Duke Senior Monologue

I selected this monologue because it spoke to me. What does this mean? When something “speaks” to you, it resonates emotionally; it touches a nerve in you. It makes you feel something. If you have a choice when choosing your monologue, pick something that makes an impression on you, either emotionally, intellectually, or aesthetically—or all three! If the monologue is assigned to you (i.e., you did not choose it yourself), try hard to find something in the words that has an emotional impact on you. Always start with the words, and then extrapolate to the character, the plot, and the play as a whole.

 In this speech, the phrase that has the greatest emotional impact on me is: “Sweet are the uses of adversity.” This could be considered the main point, or the centerpiece phrase, of the monologue. All the words before and after this phrase are essentially extrapolating on one idea: Hardship has a sweet purpose. Think back to times in your life when you encountered difficulties or misfortune. Was it all bad? Or did the experience lead to something better or provide a lesson? See if you can personalize Duke Senior’s words based on your own feelings or memories.

 If you have not experienced hardship’s “sweet” side, then dive into Duke Senior’s words and see if you can conjure up the feelings in the words. Even if you do not feel any emotion yourself, perhaps by giving the words their emotional expression, the audience will feel something!  

I looked up “adversity” in the dictionary and found the following: Origin Middle English: from Old French adversite, from Latin adversitas, from advertere ‘turn toward.’ Sometimes researching the etymology, or origin, of a word can lead you to an interesting interpretation. In this case, I imagine Duke Senior turning toward a cold wind and relishing, rather than cowering from, its bite on his face.

The first two sentences of the monologue are in the form of questions. Duke Senior is asking his “brothers in exile” whether the woods are not sweeter than the “envious court.” Here we can color contrasting words and give warmth to words like “co-mates,” “brothers,” “old custom,” “life,” and “sweet.” How do you “give warmth” to words? The voice is expressive: If you stretch the vowels a little and soften the consonants, the word “brother” sounds soft and welcoming. If by contrast you speak with a more choppy and clipped tone, you can similarly color the words that describe court life with a colder sound. You can speak the words “painted pomp,” “peril,” and “envious court” with a more clipped and frosty voice.

Exploit the sonority and alliteration that the next set of lines provide as Duke Senior describes the cold and wind. The phrases in the next section also provide opportunities for physical gestures. Perhaps Duke Senior could pantomime a set of fangs with his index and middle fingers on “icy fang,” wag his finger on “churlish chiding,” or strike his own chest to illustrate the “bites and blows upon my body.” When Duke Senior says, “even till I shrink with cold,” he might hunch his shoulders down and hug his chest. Not every phrase has to be physically illustrated, however. Choose the gestures that speak to you. Try standing in front of a mirror or, even better, video record yourself to see the effect your voice and body will have on the audience.

The following Duke Senior line is in quotation marks to indicate that it is something he will say in the future:

“This is no flattery. These are counselors That feelingly persuade me what I am.”

For this line, you must change your demeanor and tone to make it more presentational. Since Senior describes himself as smiling, be sure to smile and stand a bit straighter. Try extending your arms out, as if welcoming adversity with open arms, and speak the line like you are sharing a revelation you have just had. This speech by Duke Senior is a personal inspiration, but it might also be a “pep talk” to raise the spirits of his men. If you are alone, deliver the lines to an imaginary audience. If you have others with you on stage, look them in the eye and engage them with your words.

 When reciting the centerpiece phrase—“Sweet are the uses of adversity”—continue with the revelatory tone of voice that you started with the previous line. You have made a personal discovery with an important lesson you are sharing. You are saying the words for yourself and for an audience of followers. In addition to being a treatise on the power of spirit over hardship, this speech is treatise to the beauty and healing power of nature. When describing the jewel in the venomous toad’s head, see if there is a hand gesture that could illustrate this image. One possibility is a simple pinching of the fingers to suggest holding a small gem.

In the final two lines of the monologue, Duke Senior assigns human qualities to natural phenomena. To give a sense of place, gesture toward the trees, brooks, and stones when describing them. Perhaps Duke even picks up a stone and playfully puts it to his ear as if listening to the ocean’s roar in a seashell. Clearly, nature speaks to the Duke and provides him with comfort and wisdom. Try to bring the Duke’s feelings to the text so that the audience feels them, too. Just as Duke Senior finds “the good in everything,” you can find the good in Shakespeare’s words as you convey the Duke’s love of nature and sunny optimism in the face of adversity.

Suggested Viewing

As You Like it, 1978 Director: Basil Coleman Starring: Helen Mirren, Brian Stirner

As You Like it, 2006 Director: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Romola Garai

Here is a sample, featuring the intro, table of contents and first scene and monologue

(plus performance notes and monologue notes) from 

The 30-Minute Shakespeare Anthology:

18 Student Scenes with Monologues:

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