Authors: Leon Katz, Leon Katz
ISBN-13: 9781557835758, ISBN-10: 1557835756
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Applause Theatre Book Publishers
Date Published: November 2002
Edition: New Edition
Sure to become a mainstay of any actor's shelf, Applause is pleased to present the first two volumes of Leon Katz's monumental monologue collection. Covering the full scope of Western Drama, from the Greeks to the 20th Century, these two volumes contain over 250 monologues from sources other than Shakespeare's plays. The works range from the famous to the little-known, covering over 2,000 years of theatrical history. Katz provides an introduction to each monologue that provides an informative and critical context for actors, directors, students and teachers, but are also of relevance to general readers. Each volume is organized into Tragedy/Drama and Comedy divisions, and the monologues are helpfully arranged by period as well as chronologically. Also, the monologues are fully footnooted afor unfamiliar references and definitions and the bibliography provides exhaustive listings of sources for all the plays from which the monologues have been drawn. Simply put, these two volumes are a must for actors, directors, teachers and students of classical theatre!
Preface | xv | |
Tragedy/Drama | ||
Greek | ||
1 | Orestes is jubilant, then uncertain, over his revenge ((458 BC) Aeschylus, Libation Bearers, tr. R. Lattimore) | 2 |
2 | Jason defends his abandonment of Medea ((431 BC) Euripides, Medea, tr. F. Prokosch) | 6 |
3 | The Messenger reports Jocasta's suicide and Oedipus' self-blinding ((430-425 BC) Sophocles, Oedipus the King, tr. W. B. Yeats) | 9 |
4 | Hippolytus curses women and adultery after learning of Phaedra's passion for him ((428 BC) Euripides, Hippolytus, tr. M. Hadas and J. H. McLean) | 11 |
5 | Hippolytus defends his innocence before his father ((428 BC) Euripides, Hippolytus, tr. D. Grene) | 13 |
6 | The Messenger reports the gruesome death of Hippolytus ((428 BC) Euripides, Hippolytus, tr. D. Grene) | 16 |
7 | Talthybius recounts to Hecuba the slaying of her daughter ((417-415 BC?) Euripides, Hecuba, tr. J. Lembke and K. J. Reckford) | 19 |
8 | Philoctetes reviles the Greeks who abandoned him ((409 BC) Sophocles, Philoctetes, tr. D. Grene) | 22 |
9 | Philoctetes curses Neoptolemus for his theft of the magic bow ((409 BC) Sophocles, Philoctetes, tr. D. Grene) | 25 |
10 | The Messenger reports the cynically conducted trial that condemned Orestes to death ((408 BC) Euripides, Orestes, tr. J. Peck and F. Nisetich) | 28 |
11 | Polyneices begs Oedipus' blessing before his battle against his brother ((406 BC) Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, tr. R. Fitzgerald) | 32 |
12 | The Messenger recounts the transfiguration and death of Oedipus ((406 BC) Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, tr. R. Fitzgerald) | 35 |
Elizabethan/Jacobean | ||
13 | Tamburlaine persuades an enemy captain to join him ((1577-88) Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 40 |
14 | Tamburlaine celebrates his love for Zenocrate and for himself ((1577-88) Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great, Act 5, Sc. 2) | 43 |
15 | Tamburlaine shows himself magnanimous in victory ((1577-88) Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great, Act 5, Sc. 2) | 45 |
16 | Faustus rejects scholastic learning, yearns for necromantic knowledge ((c1589) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 48 |
17 | Faustus envisions the blessings of conjuring ((c1589) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 51 |
18 | Faustus prays in his last hour to escape damnation ((c1589) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Act 5, Sc. 2) | 54 |
19 | Gaveston, the new king's favorite, makes plans ((c1592) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragedy of Edward II, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 58 |
20 | Edward defends his love of Gaveston against his nobles ((c1592) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragedy of Edward II, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 60 |
21 | Edward swears revenge after Gaveston's murder ((c1592) Christoper Marlowe, The Tragedy of Edward II, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 63 |
22 | Edward, forced to renounce his crown, rages, sorrows, finally surrenders ((c1592) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragedy of Edward II, Act 5, Sc. 1) | 65 |
23 | Edward pleads with, braves, succumbs to his murders ((c1592) Christopher Marlowe, The Tragedy of Edward II, Act 5, Sc. 5) | 69 |
24 | Mendoza, new court lackey, envisions his pleasures in office ((c1603?) John Marston, The Malcontent, Act 1, Sc. 5) | 72 |
25 | Wendoll battles with his conscience ((1603) Thomas Heywood, A Woman Killed with Kindness, Act 2, Sc. 3) | 73 |
26 | Frankfort recoils at report of his wife's adultery ((1603) Thomas Heywood, A Woman Killed with Kindness, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 76 |
27 | Frankfort pronounces his verdict over his wife's adultery ((1603) Thomas Heywood, A Woman Killed with Kindness, Act 4, Sc. 5) | 78 |
28 | Bussy, young and poor, equates poverty and virtue ((c1604) George Chapman, Bussy d'Ambois, Act 1 Sc. 1) | 81 |
29 | Monsieur the King's brother mocks the lady's argument: "Sir, I have a husband!" ((c1604) George Chapman, Bussy d'Ambois, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 83 |
30 | Monsieur is invited to draw for Bussy his "character" ((c1604) George Chapman, Bussy d'Ambois, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 85 |
31 | Bussy is invited to draw for Monsieur his "character" ((c1604) George Chapman, Bussy d'Ambois, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 87 |
32 | Flamineo damns his mother for having inflicted on him a life of poverty ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 89 |
33 | Brachiano greets his wife with sullen contempt ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 91 |
34 | Francisco fashions his revenge for Isabella's murder with her ghost ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 4, Sc. 1) | 93 |
35 | Flamineo uses parable to remind the Duke of his ingratitude for services ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 4, Sc. 2) | 96 |
36 | Brachiano, poisoned, suffers an excruciating death ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 5, Sc. 3) | 98 |
37 | Flamineo, visited by Brachiano's ghost, surmises his fate ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 5, Sc. 4) | 102 |
38 | Flamineo outfoxes his sister Vittoria's villainy in their game of pistols ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 5, Sc. 6) | 105 |
39 | Flamineo mordantly but wittily observes the process of his own dying ((1609-12) John Webster, The White Devil, Act 5, Sc. 6) | 108 |
40 | Bosola importunes the Cardinal for his reward ((1613-14) John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 111 |
41 | Bosola rails at courtier, woman, and "the form of man" ((1613-14) John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 113 |
42 | Ferdinand vilifies the Duchess and her unseen "lover" ((1613-14) John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 115 |
43 | Ferdinand, the Duchess dead, condemns the murder he enjoined ((1613-14) John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Act 4, Sc. 2) | 119 |
44 | Bosola repents after the Duchess's murder ((1613-14) John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, Act 4, Sc. 2) | 121 |
45 | Giovanni, disputing with the Friar, argues for the propriety of his incestuous love ((1629-33) John Ford, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 124 |
46 | Giovanni, to prevent Annabella's marriage, makes a pact with her for her murder ((1629-33) John Ford, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Act 5, Sc. 5) | 126 |
47 | Giovanni brings to his sister's wedding feat her heart on his sword ((1629-33) John Ford, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Act 5, Sc. 6) | 130 |
XVII Century French/Spanish | ||
48 | Rodrigue importunes Chimene to kill him for having taken revenge against her father ((1638) Pierre Corneille, Le Cid, tr. Paul Landis, Act 3, Sc. 4) | 134 |
49 | Rodrigue bids farewell to Chimene before combat ((1638) Pierre Corneille, Le Cid, tr. Paul Landis, Act 5, Sc. 1) | 137 |
50 | Nero recounts his falling in love with Julia ((1669) Jean Racine, Brittanicus, tr. Robert Henderson and Paul Landis, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 139 |
51 | Hippolytus confesses his long-concealed love for Aricia ((1677) Jean Racine, Phaedra, tr. Robert Henderson, Act 2) | 142 |
52 | Theramenes reports the gruesome death of Hippolytus ((1677) Jean Racine, Phaedra, tr. Robert Henderson, Act 5) | 145 |
53 | Genesius, rehearsing the part of a martyr, wins Christ ((c1607-1608) Lope de Vega, Acting Is Believing, tr. Michael McGaha, Act 3, Sc. 3) | 149 |
54 | Segismund, after lifelong captivity, yearns to know freedom ((1636) Calderon de la Barca, Life Is a Dream, tr. Roy Campbell, Act 1) | 153 |
55 | Segismund, embracing life as a dream, ruminates on its final value ((1636) Calderon de la Barca, Life Is a Dream, tr. Roy Campbell, Act 3) | 156 |
Restoration | ||
56 | Essex, abject, begs the Queen for return to favor until she leaves with no reply ((1681) John Banks, The Unhappy Favorite, or, The Earl of Essex, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 160 |
57 | Essex importunes Southampton to plead his cause to the Queen ((1681) John Banks, The Unhappy Favorite, or, The Earl of Essex, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 163 |
58 | Essex, in anguish, despairs of rising again to favor ((1681) John Banks, The Unhappy Favorite, or, The Earl of Essex, Act 3, Sc. 1) | 165 |
59 | Essex, enraged beyond control, lashes out at the Queen for her ingratitude ((1681) John Banks, The Unhappy Favorite, or, The Earl of Essex, Act 3 Sc. 1) | 167 |
60 | The black prince Oroonoko, enslaved by the English planters in Surinam, scorns them and their Christianity ((1695) Thomas Southerne, Oroonoko, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 171 |
XVIII Century English/German | ||
61 | Barnwell executes a murder against his will ((1731) George Lillo, The London Merchant, Act 3, Sc. 3) | 176 |
62 | Barnwell suffers agonies of remorse after murdering his uncle ((1731) George Lillo, The London Merchant, Act 3, Sc. 7) | 179 |
63 | Spiegelberg, after a fool exploit with students, promotes plan for an "immortal" exploit ((1782) Friedrich Schiller, The Robbers, ad. L. Katz, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 180 |
64 | Franz contemplates plans for betrayal and murder of father and brother ((1782) Friedrich Schiller, The Robbers, ad. L. Katz, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 183 |
65 | Spiegelberg exhorts students to become a robber band ((1782) Friedrich Schiller, The Robbers, ad. L. Katz, Act 1, Sc. 3) | 186 |
66 | Karl returns the captive priest to townsmen with message: "My holy calling is vengeance" ((1782) Friedrich Schiller, The Robbers, ad. L. Katz, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 188 |
67 | Karl, remembering his innocence, yearns: "Make me a child again" ((1782) Friedrich Schiller, The Robbers, ad. L. Katz, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 191 |
XIX Century English/French | ||
68 | Manfred contemplates suicide ((1817) George Gordon Byron, Manfred, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 196 |
69 | Manfred confesses his guilt and despair ((1817) George Gordon Byron, Manfred, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 200 |
70 | Sailor William, legally but not morally guilty, defends himself at his trial before the admiralty ((1829) Douglas Jerrold, Black-Ey'd Susan, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 203 |
71 | Sailor William, condemned, prepares to meet his death ((1829) Douglas Jerrold, Black-Ey'd Susan, Act 3, Sc. 4) | 206 |
72 | Mordaunt accuses Lady Mabel of "the deepest crime" ((1842) J. Westland Marston, The Patrician's Daughter, Act 3, Sc. 2) | 208 |
73 | Robert Brierly, in prison, grieves for the suffering he is causing his faithful wife May ((1863) Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man, Act 4) | 211 |
74 | Aubrey Tanqueray alerts his friends: his new wife may not meet with their set's approval ((1893) Arthur Wing Pinero, The Second Mrs. Tanqueray, Act 1) | 213 |
75 | Lorenzaccio deliberates: "Am I Satan?" ((1834) Alfred de Musset, Lorenzaccio, tr. L. Katz, Act 3, Sc. 3) | 216 |
76 | Lorenzaccio rehearses his procedure for murdering Alessandro ((1834) Alfred de Musset, Lorenzaccio, tr. L. Katz, Act 4, Sc. 9) | 221 |
Comedy | ||
Greek | ||
77 | Trigaeus, on his way to Heaven, begs his mounted beetle not to notice shit in the world below ((421 BC) Aristophanes, Peace, ad. L. Katz) | 226 |
Italian Renaissance | ||
78 | Callimaco reports on his perfect night with Lucrezia ((c1515-20) Machiavelli, Mandragola, tr. Kenneth and Laura Richards, Act 5, Sc. 4) | 230 |
79 | Marca details soberly how he and his companions cheated the landlord out of a banquet ((c1581) Giordano Bruno, Il Candelaio, tr. J. R. Hale, Act 3, Sc. 8) | 232 |
80 | Sanguino takes private comfort in his parable of how the tricked can become the trickster ((c1581) Giordano Bruno, Il Candelaio, tr. J. R. Hale, Act 2, Sc. 4) | 234 |
81 | Bernardo explains to his love the virtue of forgetting about honor ((c1581) Giordano Bruno, Il Candelaio, tr. J. R. Hale, Act 5, Sc. 11) | 236 |
82 | Scaramure wants whores and whoremongers entirely absolved of reproach ((c1581) Giordano Bruno, Il Candelaio, tr. J. R. Hale, Act 5, Sc. 18) | 238 |
Elizabethan/Jacobean | ||
83 | Slitgut takes note of several passengers crawling out of the Thames after shipwreck ((1604) Marston, Chapman, and Jonson, Eastward Ho!, Act 4, Sc. 1) | 242 |
84 | Mosca ejects Volpone's would-be heirs ((1606) Ben Johnson, Volpone, Act 5, Sc. 1) | 245 |
85 | Novice Ralph inspires bumbling men to battle and glory ((1607) Beaumont and Fletcher, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, Act 5, Sc. 2) | 248 |
86 | Ralph, with a forked arrow through his head, recites his dying speech ((1607) Beaumont and Fletcher, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, Act 5 Sc. 3) | 250 |
Restoration | ||
87 | Bayes the Poet explains his strategy for making plays ((1671) George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, The Rehearsal, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 254 |
88 | Bayes seeks advice on presenting his prologue ((1671) George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, The Rehearsal, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 257 |
89 | Rhodophil laments the misfortune of marriage, and plans consolation with a yet-to-be-won mistress ((1672) John Dryden, Marriage-a-la-Mode, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 259 |
90 | Rhodophil resolves that he and Doralice must forever suffer the misfortune of their marriage ((1672) John Dryden, Marriage-a-la-Mode, Act 3, Sc. 1) | 262 |
91 | Horner explains to his doctor the advantages of pretending to be a eunuch ((1675) William Wycherley, The Country Wife, Act 1) | 265 |
92 | Ramble declares a "new order of nature" for true wits and against fools ((1675) John Crowe, The Country Wit, Act 2) | 268 |
93 | Sir Fopling Flutter displays on his person the French mode ((1676) George Etherege, The Man of Mode, Act 3, Sc. 1) | 270 |
94 | Whittmore, under instructions from Lucia, must "feign a courtship" to Isabella ((1678) Aphra Behn, Sir Patient Fancy, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 274 |
95 | Petro demonstrates how the body can tell a tale and pick a pocket, with small aid from words or sense ((1679) Aphra Behn, The Feign'd Courtesan, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 276 |
96 | Belfont Senior, the "swinish" rustic son of a brutish father, embraces London's low life ((1688) Thomas Shadwell, The Squire of Alsatia, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 280 |
97 | Sosia, playing two parts, rehearses the news he is bringing to Alcmene ((1690) John Dryden, Amphitryon, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 282 |
98 | Mellefont recounts how Lady Touchwood invaded his bedchamber and wooed with fury ((1694) William Congreve, The Double Dealer, Act 1, Sc. 3) | 285 |
99 | Maskwell strengthens Mellefont's confidence in his loyalty by confidently confessing his treachery ((1694) William Congreve, The Double Dealer, Act 2, Sc. 7) | 288 |
100 | Maskwell, self-congratulating, apostrophizes treachery and double dealing ((1694) William Congreve, The Double Dealer, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 290 |
101 | The valet Jeremy is horrified at his master's plan to turn playwright ((1695) William Congreve, Love for Love, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 292 |
102 | Loveless, impoverished by riot, remains thoroughly well disposed toward pleasure ((1696) Colley Cibber, Love's Last Shift, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 295 |
103 | Loveless embraces love of virtue together with bliss, and fulsomely repents ((1696) Colley Cibber, Love's Last Shift, Act 5, Sc. 2) | 298 |
104 | Sir Novelty Fashion demonstrates how he merits his name ((1696) Colley Cibber, Love's Last Shift, Act 2, Sc. 1) | 299 |
105 | Lord Foppington favors a lady with an account of his day ((1696) John Vanbrugh, The Relapse, Act 2, Sc. 2) | 301 |
106 | Loveless is disquieted by the logic of his wavering marital affections ((1696) John Vanbrugh, The Relapse, Act 3, Sc. 1) | 303 |
107 | Lord Foppington, in the epilogue, condemns the author ((1696) John Vanbrugh, The Relapse, Epilogue) | 306 |
108 | Fainall dismisses wives, marriage, cuckoldry and jealously ((1700) William Congreve, The Way of the World, Act 3, Sc. 3) | 308 |
109 | Mirabel offers his conditions for marriage to Millimant ((1700) William Congreve, The Way of the World, Act 4, Sc. 1) | 310 |
110 | Beaumine commiserates with and warns Phillabell, who is in danger of marriage ((1700) Catherine Trotter, Love at a Loss, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 313 |
111 | Beaumine, while chastising Lesbia, pretends to talk himself into an immediate proposal of marriage ((1700) Catherine Trotter, Love at a Loss, Act 3, Sc. 1) | 315 |
XVII Century French | ||
112 | Tartuffe attempts to seduce Elmire, the wife of his patron ((1664) Jean-Baptiste Moliere, Tartuffe, or The Imposter, tr. Christopher Hampton, Act 3, Sc. 3) | 320 |
113 | Sganarelle reveals the true nature of his master Don Juan ((1665) Jean-Baptiste Moliere, Don Juan, tr. G. Graveley and I. Maclean, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 323 |
114 | Don Juan explains his contempt for the idea of fidelity ((1665) Jean-Baptiste Moliere, Don Juan, tr. G. Graveley and I. Maclean, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 325 |
115 | Don Juan explains his devotion to "the fashionable vice," hypocrisy ((1665) Jean-Baptiste Moliere, Don Juan, tr. G. Graveley and I. Maclean, Act 5, Sc. 2) | 327 |
116 | Alceste, condemning Celimene's falseness, also confesses his love ((1666) Jean-Baptiste Moliere, The Misanthrope, tr. Richard Wilbur, Act 4, Sc. 3) | 329 |
117 | Arlecchino's account of his trip to the moon ((c1660s) Giuseppe Domenico Biancolelli (Alrecchino), tr. Pierre Louis Duchartre) | 333 |
118 | Arlecchino's heroic attempt to commit suicide ((c1660s) Giuseppe Domenico Biancolelli (Arlecchino), ad. L. Katz) | 336 |
XVIII Century English | ||
119 | Young Bookwit, newly arrived in London, prepares to put into practice his scrupulous study of women ((1703) Richard Steele, The Lying Lover, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 340 |
120 | Captain Clerimont, disguised as a painter, offers a young lady her choice of compelling attitudes for her portrait ((1704) Richard Steele, The Tender Husband, Act 4, Sc. 2) | 343 |
121 | Bevil Jr., constrained but courteous, counters his father's choice of wife for him ((1722) Richard Steele, The Conscious Lovers, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 346 |
122 | Sharp implores his destitute master to marry ((1740) David Garrick, The Lying Valet, Act 1, Sc. 1) | 349 |
123 | Puff reveals the secrets of his craft ((1779) Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Critic, Act 1, Sc. 2) | 352 |
XIX/XX Century German/Scandinavian/English | ||
124 | Leonce contemplates with cheer love, emptiness, and boredom ((1836) Georg Buchner, Leonce and Lena, tr. Carl Richard Mueller, Act 1, Sc. 3) | 356 |
125 | Leonce contemplates with cheer love, emptiness, and boredom ((1836) Georg Buchner, Leonce and Lena, tr. Carl Richard Mueller, Act 1, Sc. 3) | 359 |
126 | Valerio returns to court with two "mechanisms:" Leonce and Lena ((1836) Georg Buchner, Leonce and Lena, tr. Carl Richard Mueller, Act 3, Sc.3) | 360 |
127 | Peer Gynt drives his dying mother to Heaven ((1867) Henrik Ibsen, Peer Gynt, tr. Wm. Archer, ad. L. Katz, Act 3, Sc. 4) | 363 |
128 | Tanner, exhorting Ann to assert her independence, puts his own in jeopardy ((1903) Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1) | 368 |
129 | Don Juan speaks his contempt for the uses of life on Earth ((1903) Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 3) | 370 |
Glossary of Greek and Roman Names | 375 |