Monologue

Duchess Monologue from The Duchess of Padua

From The Duchess of Padua by Oscar Wilde

female · dark · 1:12 min

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He was asleep; Come closer, love, and I will tell you all. I had resolved to kill myself to-night. About an hour ago I waked from sleep, And took my dagger from beneath my pillow, Where I had hidden it to serve my need, And drew it from the sheath, and felt the edge, And thought of you, and how I loved you, Guido, And turned to fall upon it, when I marked The old man sleeping, full of years and sin; There lay he muttering curses in his sleep, And as I looked upon his evil face Suddenly like a flame there flashed across me, There is the barrier which Guido spoke of: You said there lay a barrier between us, What barrier but he?— I hardly know What happened, but a steaming mist of blood Rose up between us two.

About this piece

The Duchess grapples with her inner turmoil as she contemplates suicide, reflecting on her love for Guido and the obstacles represented by her current circumstances.

20s · despair · love · death · betrayal

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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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