CHAPTER 38
Scenes and Monologues
But when they ask you what it means, say you this;
HAMLET, IV, v
REFER TO YOUR complete collection of Shakespeare. While any edition will do, some are more helpful than others. In this book, line notations are taken from The Pelican Shakespeare, edited by Alfred Harbage (Viking Penguin, 1977). In other editions, lineation and punctuation may differ. The punctuation in the Pelican edition is especially good. Check the scenes and monologues listed in this chapter for the rehearsal material. All of these will work with students. After selection, consider the following study or rehearsal procedures.
Copy the scene. Then have the students type it themselves, double spaced, and check it for spelling and punctuation accuracy. Have the students read the entire play aloud and know how this scene (or monologue) fits into the overall action.
This study can be done in small groups comprised of those students who are working on scenes or monologues from the same play. In a class of twenty, you might use scenes and monologues from four plays; so each reading/study group consists of five students.
First, have the students look up any word that may have had a different meaning in the year 1600. Write the meaning in the rehearsal script. The OED is the definitive source for this task.
Next, work out the scansion. Mark stressed syllables, mark feminine endings or elide as necessary, and underline words that break the rhythm. Circle all phrases and breathing points, and look up all words. If you have time to uncover the antithesis, do that; it will add immeasurably to your success. Only now are you ready to begin rehearsing the scene.
Scenes of two or three minutes in length (five minutes maximum) are enough for young actors—about forty to fifty lines, or twenty to twenty-five lines for each actor. To get fifty lines “right” is a challenging task, and allowing students to work on more than twenty-five lines each simply means that many more hours of rehearsal per scene are required. For monologues, twelve to fifteen lines are sufficient.
If you intend to present the scenes as an “evening of Shakespeare” or similar performance, short scenes and one-minute monologues work very well. For monologues, it’s often helpful to use a second, nonspeaking actor standing downstage, giving the speaker someone to address. For soliloquies, the single actor can use the entire class as the audience. When performing, you might have someone other than the actors introduce the scenes, but have the actors introduce their own monologues.
The majority of scenes and monologues listed below are taken from the most “popular” eight plays, from which you probably select your curriculum. A few selections from other plays are also listed. Roles written for men can often be played by women.
SCENES AND MONOLOGUES FROM THE EIGHT MOST POPULAR PLAYS
As You Like It
Scenes
• I, iii, lines 1–36, for two women (Celia and Rosalind), in prose. To continue, add one man (the Duke) for lines 37–85, for a section in verse. After the Duke exits, Celia and Rosalind have a verse scene from lines 86–134, which, in itself, makes a short scene.
• III, ii, lines 157–240, for two women (Celia and Rosalind), in prose.
• III, v, lines 1–137, for one man and two women (Silvius, Phebe and Rosalind—cut Celia and Corin), in verse. After Rosalind exits at line 79, there is a two-person verse scene between Phebe and Silvius.
• IV, iii, lines 76–181, for one man and two women (Oliver, who has most of the dialogue, Celia and Rosalind), mixes prose and verse.
Monologues
• II, vii, lines 139–166, for a man (Jaques), in verse.
• III, v, lines 35–63, for a woman (Rosalind), in verse.
• III, v, lines 108–134, for a woman (Phebe), in verse.
• Epilogue, a woman (Rosalind), in prose.
Hamlet
Scenes
• I, iii, lines 1–136, for two men and one woman (Laertes, Ophelia and Polonius), in verse.
• III, i, lines 88–161, for one man and one woman (Hamlet and Ophelia), mixed prose and verse.
Monologues
• I, iii, lines 10–44, for a man (Laertes), in verse.
• II, iii, lines 1–18, for a man (King), in verse.
• All acts, Hamlet’s soliloquies, for men or women, in verse.
Henry V
Monologues
• Each act, Chorus soliloquies, for men or women, in verse.
• I, ii, lines 260–298, for a man (King), in verse.
• III, i, lines 1–34, for a man (King) in verse.
• IV, i, lines 216–270 (some cutting recommended), for a man (King), in verse.
• IV, i, lines 275–292, for a man (King), in verse.
• IV, ii, lines 15–37, for a man (Constable), in verse.
• IV, iii, lines 18–67, for a man (King), in verse.
Julius Caesar
Scenes
• I, ii, lines 25–177 (some cutting possible), for two men (Cassius and Brutus), in verse.
• II, i, lines 229–308, for one man and one woman (Portia and Brutus), in verse.
• IV, iii, lines 36–123, for two men (Brutus and Cassius), in verse. By cutting lines 124–143 and adding Lucius, the scene can continue with lines 144–162.
Monologues
• II, i, lines 10–34, for a man (Brutus), in verse.
• II, ii, lines 13–26, for one woman (Calphurnia), in verse.
• III, i, lines 254–275, for one man (Antony), in verse.
Macbeth
Scenes
• I, v, lines 1–70, and I, vii, lines 1–82, for one man and one woman (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth), in verse. Separate scenes or combine for one longer scene.
• II, ii, lines 1–73, for one man and one woman (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth) plus knocking sounds, in verse.
• III, i, lines 1–43, for two men (Macbeth and Banquo), in verse. Can continue as a scene for three men and a servant (Macbeth and Two Murderers and the servant), lines 44–144.
• I, v, lines 36–52, for a woman (Lady Macbeth), in verse.
• I, vii, lines 1–28, for a man (Macbeth), in verse.
• III, i, lines 1–10, for a man (Banquo), in verse.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Scenes
• II, i, lines 1–59, for one man and one woman (Puck and Fairy), in verse.
• II, i, lines 188–244, for one man and one woman (Demetrius and Helena), in verse.
Monologues
• I, i, lines 181–193, for a woman (Helena), in verse.
• I, i, lines 226–251, for a woman (Helena), in verse.
• II, i, lines 248–267, for a man (Oberon), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 6–34, for a man or a woman (Puck), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 145–161, for a woman (Helena), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 192–219, for a woman (Helena), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 254–277, for a man (Oberon), in verse.
Romeo and Juliet
Scenes
• I, i, lines 158–236 (cut as necessary), for two men (Romeo and Benvolio), in verse.
• II, ii, lines 1–138 or lines 139–190, or combine the two scenes, for one man and one woman (Romeo and Juliet), plus the off-stage voice of the Nurse and an off-stage noise, in verse.
• II, iii, lines 31–94, for two men (Friar and Romeo), in verse.
• II, iv, lines 152–202 or through line 204 if another character added, for one woman and one or two men (Nurse, Romeo and Peter), mixed prose and verse.
• II, v, lines 1–77, for two women (Juliet and the Nurse), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 1–143, for two women (Juliet and the Nurse), in verse.
• III, iii, lines 1–175 (cut some lines from the longer speeches), for two men and one woman (Friar, Romeo and Nurse), in verse.
• III, v, lines 65–126, for two women (Juliet and Lady Capulet), in verse. By adding the Nurse and Capulet, the scene continues with lines 127–205; this is followed by a Juliet and Nurse scene, lines 206–244.
Monologues
• I, i, lines 79–101, for a man (Prince), in verse.
• I, iii, lines 17–48 (some cutting recommended), for a woman (Nurse), in verse.
• I, iii, lines 79–94, for a woman (Lady Capulet), in verse.
• I, iv, lines 53–94, for a man (Mercutio), in verse.
• II, i, lines 1–23, for a man (Romeo), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 1–34, for a woman (Juliet), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 97–127, for a woman (Juliet), in verse.
Twelfth Night
Scenes
• I, v, lines 133–297, for three women and one man (Malvolio, Olivia, Viola and Maria—Viola and Olivia have most of the lines), mixed prose and verse. Can begin at line 208 with Viola and Olivia; need a Malvolio for two lines.
• II, iv, lines 78–123, for one man and one woman (Viola [disguised as a man, Cesario] and the Duke), in verse.
• III, i, lines 91–176, for two women (Olivia and Viola), in verse.
Monologues
• II, ii, lines 16–40, for a woman (Viola), in verse.
• IV, iii, lines 1–21, for a man (Sebastian), in verse.
• V, i, lines 66–84, for a man (Antonio), in verse.
OTHER SELECTED SCENES AND MONOLOGUES
The Comedy of Errors
Scenes
• III, ii, lines 1–71, for one man and one woman (Antipholus of Syracuse and Luciana), in verse.
• IV, ii, lines 1–66, for two women and one man (Adriana, Luciana, Dromio of Syracuse), in verse.
Monologue
• V, i, lines 136–160, for one woman (Adriana), in verse.
The Taming of the Shrew
Scene
• II, i, lines 168–182, for one man and one woman (Petruchio and Kate), in verse.
Monologues
• IV, ii, lines 175–198, for a man (Petruchio), in verse.
• V, ii, lines 141–184, for a woman (Kate), in verse.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Scenes
• I, ii, lines 1–140, for two women (Julia and Lucetta), in verse.
• II, vii, lines 1–90, for two women (Julia and Lucetta), in verse.
Monologues
• II, iv, lines 189–211, for a man (Proteus), in verse.
• II, vi, lines 1–43, for man (Proteus), in verse.
• IV, iii, lines 11–36, for a woman (Silvia), in verse.
Love’s Labor’s Lost
Monologues
• III, i, lines 162–194, for a man (Berowne), in verse.
• V, ii, lines 89 –118, for a man (Boyet), in verse.
• V, ii, lines 779–802 for a woman (Princess), in verse.
The Merchant of Venice
Scene
• I, iii, lines 1–177 (or any section), for three men (Shylock, Bassanio and Antonio), in verse.
Monologue
• IV, i, lines 182–203, for a woman (Portia), in verse.
Much Ado About Nothing
Scenes
• III, i, lines 1–136, for four women (Hero, Beatrice, Ursula, and Margaret [one line]), in verse.
• IV, i, lines 253–328, for one man and one woman (Beatrice and Benedict), in prose.
All’s Well That Ends Well
Scene
• I, iii, lines 130–249, for two women (Countess and Helena), in verse.
King Henry VI, Part 1
Monologue
• I, ii, lines 72–92, for a woman (Pucelle [Joan of Arc]), in verse.
King Henry VI, Part 2
Monologues
• I, i, lines 212–257, for a man (York), in verse.
• III, i, lines 4–41, for a woman (Queen Margaret), in verse.
King Henry VI, Part 3
Monologues
• II, v, lines 1–52, for a man (King), in verse.
• III, ii, lines 124–195 (with some cutting), for a man (Richard, Duke of Gloucester), in verse.
Richard III
Scene
• I, ii, lines 1–263 (use sections), for one man and one woman (Richard and Lady Anne) plus a few guards, in verse.
Monologues
• I, ii, lines 1–41, for a man (Richard), in verse.
• V, iii, lines 238–261, for a man (Richard), in verse.
King Henry IV, Part 1
Scene
• II, iii, lines 33–113, for one man and one woman (Hotspur and Lady Percy), in verse.
Monologue
• III, ii, lines 129–159, for a man (Prince Hal), in verse.
King Henry IV, Part 2
Monologue
• II, iii, lines 9–45, for a woman (Lady Percy), in verse.
Othello
Scenes
• III, iii, lines 93–257, for two men (Othello and Iago), in verse.
• IV, iii, lines 9–103 (with cutting), for two women; (Desdemona and Emilia), in verse.
Monologues
• I, iii, lines 377–398, for a man (Iago), in verse.
• II, i, lines 280–306, for a man (Iago), in verse.
King Lear
Monologues
• I, ii, lines 1–22, for a man (Edmund), in verse.
• II, iii, lines 1–21, for a man (Edgar), in verse.
Timon of Athens
Monologue
• IV, i, lines 1–41, for a man (Timon), in verse.
Scene
• II, ii, lines 1–167, for one man and two women (Jailer, Emilia and Paulina), in verse.
Monologue
• III, ii, lines 90–115, for a woman (Hermione), in verse.
The Tempest
Scenes
• I, ii, lines 189–305, for one man and a second character who can be either a man or a woman (Prospero and Ariel), in verse.
• II, ii, lines 1–182, for three men (Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano), mostly prose.
• III, i, lines 1–91, for one man and one woman (Miranda and Ferdinand), in verse.
Our revels now are ended.
THE TEMPEST, IV, i