Shakespearean monologues about unrequited love?

[aces25]

Posted: 6/4/09 at 11:04pm

Anybody have any MALE monologues centering around this theme??

[Elphie3]

Posted: 6/4/09 at 11:09pm

You could splice some of Romeo's speeches about Rosaline together

[homeimp]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 12:47am

The closest I can come up with is Richard III's monologue begging for Lady Anne's love, even though he killed her previous husband "but twas thy beauty set me on". The Lady is obviously reluctant.

[fetzles1490]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 1:09am

I've only ever skimmed the script and seen a HS production, so I could be wrong (and I don't know if there's a proper monologue about it), but something with Orsino in Twelfth Night perhaps?

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 1:12am

be edgy, do a female monologue! Helena from Midsummer is always good...

[fetzles1490]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 1:31am

Yep, as for female monologues about unrequited love, there's Cressida from Troilus and Cressida... I believe it's in Act 3 somewhere. Starts off, "Hard to seem won, but I was won, my lord"

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 3:09am

Yep, as for female monologues about unrequited love, there's Cressida from Troilus and Cressida... I believe it's in Act 3 somewhere. Starts off, "Hard to seem won, but I was won, my lord"

Um, that monologue isn't about unrequited love. It's about Cressida being worried about what would happen once she relents to Troilus's overtures.

I second whoever brought up Orsino in Twelfth Night.

[Lefou]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 10:11am

There is a 3 minute speech in the Comedy of Errors where Antipholous of Syracuse confesses his love for Luciana in a funny and dopey way...its very cute because she continually turns him down and yet he is still infatuated with her.

[aces25]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 1:24pm

this one?

ANTIPHOLUS
OF SYRACUSE: Sweet mistress--what your name is else, I know not,
Nor by what wonder you do hit of mine,--
Less in your knowledge and your grace you show not
Than our earth's wonder, more than earth divine.
Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak;
Lay open to my earthy-gross conceit,
Smother'd in errors, feeble, shallow, weak,
The folded meaning of your words' deceit.
Against my soul's pure truth why labour you
To make it wander in an unknown field?
Are you a god? would you create me new?
Transform me then, and to your power I'll yield.
But if that I am I, then well I know
Your weeping sister is no wife of mine,
Nor to her bed no homage do I owe
Far more, far more to you do I decline.
O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note,
To drown me in thy sister's flood of tears:
Sing, siren, for thyself and I will dote:
Spread o'er the silver waves thy golden hairs,
And as a bed I'll take them and there lie,
And in that glorious supposition think
He gains by death that hath such means to die:
Let Love, being light, be drowned if she sink!

[Lefou]

Posted: 6/5/09 at 1:48pm

Thats the one!