10 Shakespearean Monologues from Characters Bewildered by Love
Written by Meghan Mitchell
January 4, 2017
Need a Shakespearean monologue from a character who can’t seem to understand the game of love? These monologues below touch on the confusion, elation, and bewilderment that both men and women experience when dealing with love. What’s even better, we’ve included links to where you can find them for free on our site. Happy monologuing!
A monologue from As You Like It
(Female, Comedic/Serio-Comedic, Teens-20s)
Phebe is a homely shepherdess who is constantly running away from the overwhelming love of the shepherd Silvius. In this monologue, Phebe tells Silvius EXACTLY what she thinks of him. She is intent on staying single and uses insults in order to sway Silvius not to love her.
A monologue from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Female, Comedic/Serio-Comedic, 20s and Older)
Puck uses magic to procure mischief throughout the forest at night, making lovers fall in love with the first person they see upon waking. Titania has just been awakened from a deep, enchanted sleep by Bottom, a simple worker who has been enchanted to have a donkey’s head. She is now in love with him, and takes him into her bower as a lover. She requests that he stay, and when he goes to leave, she restrains him.
A monologue from Hamlet
(Female, Dramatic, Teens-20s)
Hamlet has just cruelly admonished Ophelia for no apparent reason. He seems mad and shaken with rage. Hamlet has been on a downward spiral into madness for some time now, and his dismissal proves that he is no longer reachable as her lover. Her fear is apparent in what she says.
A monologue from Two Gentlemen of Verona
(Female, Comedic, Teens-20s)
Julia, the beloved of Proteus, who has several other suitors, receives a love letter from him which she impetuously tears up. But once her maid Lucetta leaves, she lovingly tries to piece the letter back together. She is a willful and headstrong young woman, but is plagued with a decision of who or how to love. This emotion is new to her.
A monologue from Much Ado About Nothing
(Female, Serio-Comedic/Dramatic, 20s-40s)
Beatrice, who has just found out that her enemy, Benedick, loves her, can’t believe her ears. They have always been the queen and king of rhetoric and throwing insults. Is she excited by his declaration of love? Is she disgusted? On the contrary…she is quite pleased.
A monologue from Troilus and Cressida
(Male, Dramatic, Teens-20s)
Troilus, together with Ulysses, seeks out Cressida at the camp of the opposing Greek army and observes her making love to Diomedes. She has even given her new lover the token which Troilus himself gave to her and swore her to keep. Troilus reflects on the deception.
A monologue from Love’s Labor’s Lost
(Male, Serio-Comedic/Comedic, Teens-20s)
Berowne, who has forsworn his pact to avoid all women in favor of contemplation and academic study, falls madly in love with the bewitching Rosaline. He has just given the clown Costard a letter to deliver to her, declaring his passion. He is totally overwhelmed by his change of feeling (hence the long 12-syllable line at the beginning.)
A monologue from The Merchant of Venice
(Male, Dramatic, 20s-40s)
Bassanio explains how he needs Antonio’s help to come up with the money (he has lost all his estate) to become a wealthy enough suitor to win the hand of Portia. Bassanio describes how deep his friendship is with Antonio and how he is truly indebted to him. Now all they need is a plan to obtain the money and woo the girl.
A monologue from All’s Well That Ends Well
(Male, Serio-Comedic/Comedic, 20s-40s)
Helena, a chaste gentlewoman, asks the braggart Captain Parolles, a confidant of her love, Bertram, why men are such enemies of virginity and how women can guard against their assault. Parolles answers with this discourse. He utilizes various sexual puns throughout the conversation which add to the comedy of the piece.
A monologue from The Comedy of Errors
(Male, Comedic, Teens-40s)
Unbeknownst to them, two brothers are separated at birth, one sent to Syracuse and one to Ephesus. By chance, they are both named “Antipholus”, as are both their servants named “Dromio”. When Antipholus of Syracuse finds his way to the home of his long-lost brother, he meets Luciana, his brother’s sister-in-law. He showers affection on her, enraptured by her beauty. Luciana rejects him, thinking that Antipholus of Syracuse is her sister’s husband, Antipholus of Ephesus, and she accuses him of cheating on his wife. This monologue is a hysterical profession of love and adoration in the face of stern rejection.
Looking for other monologue collections? Check out the ones below!
- 10 Monologue from Characters Coping With Mental Illness
- 10 Comedic Monologues from Characters Suffering an Identity Crisis
- 10 Monologues from Characters Seeking Approval
- 10 Monologues from Characters Who Need to Apologize
- 10 Monologues from Male Characters: Fathers, Brothers, and Sons
- 10 Monologues for Women Who Speak Their Mind
- 10 Greek and Roman Monologues for Men
- 10 Monologues for People Who Have a Bone to Pick
- 10 Great Monologues from LGBTQ-Identifying Characters
- 10 Monologues for Characters Who Have Theatre on the Brain
- 10 Male Monologues from Characters Dealing With Death
- 10 Great Shakespearean Monologues for Women
- 10 Great Shakespearean Monologues for Men