Monologue

Bolingbroke Monologue from Richard II

From Richard II by William Shakespeare

male · defiant · 1:10 min

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First—heaven be the record to my speech!— In the devotion of a subject’s love, Tend’ring the precious safety of my prince, And free from other misbegotten hate, Come I appellant to this princely presence. Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee, And mark my greeting well; for what I speak My body shall make good upon this earth, Or my divine soul answer it in heaven. Thou art a traitor and a miscreant, Too good to be so and too bad to live, Since the more fair and crystal is the sky, The uglier seem the clouds that in it fly. Once more, the more to aggravate the note, With a foul traitor’s name stuff I thy throat, And wish, so please my sovereign, ere I move, What my tongue speaks, my right-drawn sword may prove.

About this piece

Bolingbroke confronts Thomas Mowbray in a royal court, accusing him of treachery and asserting his own honor and loyalty to the king.

30s · anger · betrayal · power · honor · revenge

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