Monologue

Edgar Monologue from King Lear

From King Lear by William Shakespeare

male · dark · 1:54 min

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Pillicock sat on Pillicock hill, Alow, alow, loo loo! (FOOL: This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.) Take heed o’ th’ foul fiend: obey thy parents; keep thy word justly; swear not; commit not with man’s sworn spouse; set not thy sweet-heart on proud array. Tom’s a-cold. (LEAR: What hast thou been?) A serving-man, proud in heart and mind; that curled my hair; wore gloves in my cap; served the lust of my mistress’ heart, and did the act of darkness with her; swore as many oaths as I spake words, and broke them in the sweet face of heaven. One that slept in the contriving of lust, and waked to do it. Wine loved I deeply, dice dearly; and in woman out-paramour’d the Turk. False of heart, light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in stealth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey. Let not the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray thy poor heart to woman. Keep thy foot out of brothels, thy hand out of plackets, thy pen from lender’s book, and defy the foul fiend. Still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind: says suum, mun, nonny. Dolphin my boy, boy, sessa! let him trot by. (Storm still continues.)

About this piece

Edgar reflects on the corrupting influences of lust and vice, expressing his disdain for the moral decay surrounding him.

20s · disgust · betrayal · identity · madness · lust

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