Saturday, August 3, 2013

Troiles and Cressida by William Shakespeare

CRESSIDA
Hard to seem won; but I was won, my lord,
With the first glance that ever—pardon me:
If I confess too much, you will play the tyrant.
I love you now, but till now not so much
But I might master it. In faith, I lie:
My thoughts were like unbridled children grown
Too headstrong for their mother. See, we fools!
Why have I blabbed? Who shall be true to us
When we are so unsecret to ourselves?
But though I loved you well, I wooed you not—
And yet, good faith, I wished myself a man,
Or that we women had men’s privilege
Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue,
For in this rapture I shall surely speak
The thing I shall repent. See, see—your silence,
Cunning in dumbness, from my weakness draws
My very soul of counsel—stop my mouth!

I'm planning on using this monologue for my schools upcoming Shakespeare Competition. :)