Monologue

Busy Monologue from Bartholomew Fair

From Bartholomew Fair by Ben Jonson

male · philosophical · 58 sec

Verily, for the disease of longing, it is a disease, a carnal disease, or appetite, incident to women; and as it is carnal and incident, it is natural, very natural: now pig, it is a meat, and a meat that is nourishing and may be longed for, and so consequently eaten; it may be eaten; very exceeding well eaten; but in the Fair, and as a Bartholomew pig, it cannot be eaten; for the very calling it a Bartholomew pig, and to eat it so, is a spice of idolatry, and you make the Fair no better than one of the high-places. This, I take it, is the state of the question: a high-place.

About this piece

Busy reflects on the nature of desire and societal expectations surrounding consumption at the Fair, grappling with the implications of indulging in what is deemed sacred.

30s · longing · desire · identity · societal norms · carnality

Rehearse Busy's monologue

Run it out loud with a spotlight that follows your voice, line by line, until it's off the page. Free to start, no credit card.

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