(the old words.)

Classical monologues for women

Shakespeare, the Greeks, Restoration comedy, Ibsen, Chekhov and the writers around them. All public domain, all printed in full, so you can read the whole speech before you decide.

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1
Louka from Arms and the Man
George Bernard Shaw · play · dramatic · 1:42 min
How easy it is to talk! Men never seem to me to grow up: they all have schoolboy's ideas. You don't know what true courage is. Look at me! how much am I allowed to have my own…
2
Helena from All's Well That Ends Well
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 0:58 min
Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky Gives us free scope; only doth backward pull Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull. What…
3
Gwendolen Fairfax from The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde · play · comedic · 1:42 min
Oh! It is strange he never mentioned to me that he had a ward. How secretive of him! He grows more interesting hourly. I am not sure, however, that the news inspires me with…
4
Juliet Capulet from Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 1:36 min
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face; Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night. Fain would I dwell on form -- fain, fain…
5
Lady Noeline “Noel” Belturbet from The Amazons
Arthur Wing Pinero · play · comedic · 1:23 min
Oh, yes, in my petticoats; shopping with Florence in the morning, the forlorn park in the afternoon, a cockney Exhibition in the evening. I wanted to view London from the same…
6
Phoebe from As You Like It
William Shakespeare · play · comedic · 2:03 min
Think not I love him, though I ask for him. 'Tis but a peevish boy; yet he talks well; But what care I for words? yet words do well, When he that speaks them pleases those that…
7
Elena Ivanovna Popova from The Bear
Anton Chekhov · play · dramatic · 2:07 min
POPOVA. The man! Men are faithful and constant in love! What an idea! What right have you to talk like that? Men are faithful and constant! Since we are talking about it, I’ll…
8
Nora Helmer from A Doll's House
Henrik Ibsen · play · dramatic · 1:02 min
But you neither think nor talk like the man I could bind myself to. As soon as your fear was over--and it was not fear for what threatened me, but for what might happen to…
9
Juliet Capulet from Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 2:01 min
Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it? But wherefore, villain, didst thou…
10
Helena from All's Well That Ends Well
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 1:54 min
O, were that all! I think not on my father; And these great tears grace his remembrance more Than those I shed for him. What was he like? I have forgot him: my imagination Carries…
11
Nora Helmer from A Doll's House
Henrik Ibsen · play · dramatic · 1:46 min
Yes--someday, perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now. Don't laugh at me! I mean, of course, when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is…
12
Rosalind from As You Like It
William Shakespeare · play · comedic · 1:30 min
It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue; but it is no more unhandsome than to see the lord the prologue. If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 'tis true that a…
13
Raina Petkoff from Arms and the Man
George Bernard Shaw · play · comedic · 1:58 min
What will he care for my poor little worship after after the acclamations of a whole army of heroes? But no matter: I am so happy -- so proud! It proves that all our ideas were…
14
Phoebe from As You Like It
William Shakespeare · play · comedic · 1:05 min
I would not be thy executioner: I fly thee, for I would not injure thee. Thou tell'st me there is murder in mine eye: 'Tis pretty, sure, and very probable, That eyes, that are the…
15
Katherine from The Taming of the Shrew
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 0:43 min
No Shame but mine: I must, forsooth, be forced To give my hand opposed against my heart Unto a mad-brain rudesby full of spleen; Who woo’d in haste and means to wed at leisure. I…
16
Cordelia from King Lear
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 0:53 min
Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty According to my bond; no more nor less. Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me; I Return…
17
Gwendolen Fairfax from The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde · play · comedic · 0:58 min
Ernest, we may never be married. From the expression on mamma’s face I fear we never shall. Few parents nowadays pay any regard to what their children say to them. The…
18
Viola from Twelfth Night
William Shakespeare · play · comedic · 1:47 min
I left no ring with her; what means this lady? Fortune forbid my outside have not charm’d her! She made good view of me, indeed, so much, That methought her eyes had lost her…
19
Mrs. Allonby from A Woman of No Importance
Oscar Wilde · play · comedic · 1:02 min
When Ernest and I were engaged, he swore to me positively on his knees that he had never loved any one before in the whole course of his life. I was very young at the time, so I…
20
Helena from A Midsummer Night's Dream
William Shakespeare · play · comedic · 1:29 min
How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so; He will not know what all but he do know: And as he…
21
Lady Betty Modish from The Careless Husband
Colley Cibber · play · comedic · 1:00 min
Pfhah; Will any thing a man says make a woman less agreeable? Will his talking spoil one’s complexion, or put one hair out of order? -- and for reputation, look you, my dear, take…
22
Sonya from Uncle Vanya
Anton Chekhov · play · dramatic · 1:59 min
What can we do? We must live our lives. Yes, we shall live, Uncle Vanya. We shall live through the long procession of days before us, and through the long evenings; we shall…
23
Juliet Capulet from Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 3:08 min
Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, That almost freezes up the heat of life: I'll call them back again to comfort me:…
24
Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 0:43 min
Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir; If idle talk will once be necessary, I'll not sleep neither: this mortal house I'll ruin, Do Caesar what he can. Know, sir, that I…
25
Julia from Two Gentlemen of Verona
William Shakespeare · play · comedic · 1:17 min
O hateful hands, to tear such loving words! Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey And kill the bees that yield it with your stings! I'll kiss each several paper for amends.…
26
Dol Common from The Alchemist
Ben Jonson · play · comedic · 1:54 min
You'll bring your head within a cockscomb, will you? And you, sir, with your menstrue— Gather it up.— 'Sdeath, you abominable pair of stinkards, Leave off your barking, and grow…
27
Maria (Masha) Sergeyevna Kulygin from Three Sisters
Anton Chekhov · play · dramatic · 2:03 min
My dear sisters, I want to confess something. I want to bare my soul. I want to confess something to you, and then I never want to say another word about it ever again. I want to…
28
Mrs. Margery Pinchwife from The Country Wife
William Wycherley · play · comedic · 3:06 min
"For Mr. Horner."—So, I am glad he has told me his name. Dear Mr. Horner! but why should I send thee such a letter that will vex thee, and make thee angry with me?—Well, I will…
29
Miranda from The Tempest
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 0:44 min
If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them. The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch, But that the sea, mounting to the…
30
Lady Macbeth from Macbeth
William Shakespeare · play · dramatic · 1:47 min
Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? From this time Such I account thy love.…

Length is estimated at a spoken pace of about 150 words a minute. Public-domain pieces are printed in full on their own page; copyrighted ones list the character and the source.

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