{"id":730,"date":"2016-07-13T20:30:40","date_gmt":"2016-07-13T20:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/?p=730"},"modified":"2020-03-28T21:08:02","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T21:08:02","slug":"10-of-the-greatest-shakespearean-monologues-for-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/10-of-the-greatest-shakespearean-monologues-for-men\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the Best Shakespearean Monologues for Men"},"content":{"rendered":"

10 of the\u00a0Best Shakespearean Monologues for Men<\/h3>\n \"\"<\/a><\/span>

Written by Ashleigh Gardner<\/p>\n

July 13, 2016<\/p>\n<\/font>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Ever have trouble finding a great Shakespearean monologue that suits you for an audition? There are tons of <\/span>amazing<\/span><\/i> ones to choose from. Because it\u2019s hard to choose \u201cthe best,\u201d we\u2019ve compiled a list of ten monologues, five comedic and five dramatic, that are sure to fit your style. What’s even better, we’ve included links to where you can find them for free on our site. Happy monologuing!<\/span><\/p>\n \"\"<\/span>

Demetrius from A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

In the middle of a wood at sunrise, Demetrius professes his love for Helena after he had previously loved Hermia. Theseus and his hunting party (including Helena\u2019s father, Egeus) have encountered the lovers in the forest after a night of confusion fueled by Oberon and Puck. Theseus and Egeus demand to know why the young people are so far away from the city at such an early hour. Demetrius explains his intention for following Helena, Lysander, and Hermia into the forest, and he admits that his love for Hermia has vanished. His love for Helena has returned, and he will honor this love for the rest of their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Proteus from The Two Gentlemen of Verona<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Before Proteus leaves Verona to attend college in Milan, he exchanges rings with his love, Julia, promising to remember and love her while he\u2019s away at university. When he meets Silvia, the beautiful daughter of the Duke of Milan, he forgets Julia, and selfishly begins to pursue a relationship with Silvia. In this monologue, he has just been introduced to Silvia by Valentine, his best friend. Valentine intends to woo and marry Silvia, but after Proteus meets her, he devises a plot to steal her from Valentine. Proteus is stricken with a crazed passion, and he compares his feelings to different temperatures: a cold ice for his best friend and a fiery lust for Silvia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Petruchio from The Taming of the Shrew<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Petruchio wishes to marry Katherina (\u201cKate\u201d) against her will and at the request of her father, Baptista Minola. (Kate\u2019s younger sister Bianca cannot marry until Kate has married first, and Bianca, being the favorite of her family, gets what she wants.) Petruchio is a jokester and treats Kate with disrespect. He teases her, berates her headstrong personality, and makes sarcastic jibes about her appearance all in an effort to get her to lighten up a little bit. But Kate. Hates. Petruchio. In this monologue, Petruchio has come to woo Kate, and after a battle of wits with her, sarcastically tells her how much he \u201clikes\u201d her, using dry humor to confuse her opinion of him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Dogberry from Much Ado About Nothing<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Constable Dogberry and his partner, Virges, have arrested Borachio and Conrad for being the cause of a ruined wedding. Dogberry, a passionate, bumbling, and misspoken man, is a good police officer, but his way of doing things doesn\u2019t quite line up with procedure. He\u2019s also not that great with vocabulary. In this monologue, Dogberry rolls up his sleeves, extremely upset and offended, after Borachio has called him an \u201cass\u201d for apprehending him. (Keep in mind that Dogberry is sensitive and proud of his job, and <\/span>that\u2019s <\/span><\/i>why he\u2019s so upset to be called an \u201cass.\u201d His overreaching anger makes this monologue all the more hysterical.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Antipholus (of Syracuse) from The Comedy of Errors<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Unbeknownst to them, two brothers are separated at birth, one sent to Syracuse and one to Ephesus. By chance, they are both named \u201cAntipholus\u201d, as are both their servants named \u201cDromio\u201d. When Antipholus of Syracuse finds his way to the home of his long-lost brother, he meets Luciana, his brother\u2019s sister-in-law. He showers affection on her, enraptured by her beauty. Luciana rejects him, thinking that Antipholus of Syracuse is her sister\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Edmund, the Bastard from King Lear<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Britain; the Earl of Glouscester’s castle. Edmund, the bastard son of Gloucester, enters with a letter. He is jealous of his brother, Edgar, who has full rights as the legitimate heir to Gloucester\u2019s land and fortune. In his rage and jealousy, Edmund writes a letter (addressed to his father <\/span>from<\/span><\/i> Edgar) that says Edgar will give half his inheritance to Edmund upon their father\u2019s death. This deceit excites Edmund; he is tired of being considered base and unworthy of inheritance. He is scheming and delivers this monologue to the audience, revealing the jealousy and sorrow that he bears from being treated as second-rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Laertes from Hamlet<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Laertes meets with his sister, Ophelia, and advises her on how to deal with the Lord Hamlet, who has been acting erratically and rudely since the death\/murder of King Hamlet. Ophelia is set to marry Hamlet, but she and her family have her doubts about his sanity. Laertes advises that she use her discretion when judging if Hamlet actually loves her or not, as the decisions Hamlet makes are determined by his status as the Prince of Denmark. (Hamlet may say he wants to marry her for the good of politics, not because he actually loves her.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Benvolio from Romeo and Juliet<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

The Capulets and Montagues have warred for years, and Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are in love. Tybalt (Juliet\u2019s cousin) meets Mercutio, Romeo, and Benvolio (Romeo\u2019s cousin) in the street after a night of reveling, and during an impromptu duel, Tybalt murders Mercutio. This causes Romeo to duel Tybalt in revenge and kill him. In this monologue, Benvolio speaks to Prince Escalus, who has been called to the scene. Benvolio has just witnessed the murder of Mercutio <\/span>and <\/span><\/i>Tybalt, and the flight of Romeo. He is distraught and perhaps even alone since his friends are either dead or have run away. However, he stands up for Romeo\u2019s honor, saying that Romeo did not want to duel initially, but was driven to it by the sorrow felt after Mercutio\u2019s murder. He swears on penalty of death that the events occurred the way he describes them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Claudio from Measure for Measure<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

The Duke of Vienna, Vincentio, leaves the city in the hands of Antonio, a self-righteous and lustful man. Antonio creates a law in Vincentio\u2019s absence that makes it illegal for fornication outside the bonds of marriage. Young Claudio has gotten Julietta pregnant, and they have attempted to address a pregnancy out of wedlock with marriage. They married in the church, but because of technicalities, their marriage is not lawful. Claudio is arrested and taken to jail to be executed. Isabella, Claudio\u2019s sister who is in progress of taking her vows to become a nun, visits Antonio and begs for her brother\u2019s life. Antonio says he will spare Claudio if Isabella marries him. Isabella refuses, and visits her brother to tell him the decision she\u2019s made. In this monologue, he sits and ponders death while Isabella stands close by. In the end, he begs her to reconsider.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Prince Hal from Henry IV, Part I<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div><\/div>

King Henry IV has recently defeated King Richard II and taken his throne. Henry is at odds with Harry Percy, a former ally, and Richard\u2019s heir, Edmund Mortimer. Henry\u2019s also fed up with his son, Prince Hal, who is rash and irresponsible, drinking and partying with Sir John Falstaff. (The King\u2019s got a lot on his plate.) Just prior to this monologue, Hal has been berated by his father for being a stain on the family honor. Hal is hurt, and in an effort to regain his father\u2019s trust and love, he vows to do his duty. In this monologue, Hal promises his father that he will slay Harry Percy on the battlefield (which he actually does later in the play). He is penitent and bold, pleading for forgiveness from his father.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get the\u00a0Monologue Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\n
Ashleigh Gardner received her AA in Theatre\/Drama\/Dramatic Arts from Valencia College and her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright and an actor.<\/i><\/b><\/h5>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [...]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[470,259,770,301,759,272],"tags":[6,100,103,101,104,63,14,346],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/730"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=730"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/730\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}