Monologue

Book Monologue from Bartholomew Fair

From Bartholomew Fair by Ben Jonson

any · sarcastic · 1:31 min

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How now! what rare discourse are you fallen upon, ha? have you found any familiars here, that you are so free! what's the business? (STAGE: Nothing, but the understanding gentlemen o' the ground here ask'd my judgment.) Your judgment, rascal! for what? sweeping the stage, or gathering up the broken apples for the bears within? Away, rogue, it's come to a fine degree in these spectacles, when such a youth as you pretend to a judgment. (Exit Stage-keeper.) --And yet he may, in the most of this matter, i'faith: for the author has writ it just to his meridian, and the scale of the grounded judgments here, his play-fellows in wit.--Gentlemen, (comes forward) not for want of a prologue, but by way of a new one, I am sent out to you here, with a scrivener, and certain articles drawn out in haste between our author and you; which if you please to hear, and as they appear reasonable, to approve of; the play will follow presently.--Read, scribe; give me the counterpane.

About this piece

The character, representing a book, expresses frustration and sarcasm towards a young man's pretensions of judgment while introducing a new prologue for the audience.

20s · anger · identity · power · judgment · performance

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