Monologue

Leonato Monologue from Much Ado About Nothing

From Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

male · defiant · 1:26 min

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Tush, tush, man! never fleer and jest at me: I speak not like a dotard nor a fool, As, under privilege of age, to brag What I have done being young, or what would do, Were I not old. Know, Claudio, to thy head, Thou hast so wrong’d mine innocent child and me That I am forc’d to lay my reverence by, And, with grey hairs and bruise of many days, Do challenge thee to trial of a man. I say thou hast belied mine innocent child: Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart, And she lies buried with her ancestors; O! in a tomb where never scandal slept, Save this of hers, fram’d by thy villainy! (CLAUDIO: My villainy?) Thine, Claudio; thine, I say. (DON PEDRO: You say not right, old man.) My lord, my lord, I’ll prove it on his body, if he dare, Despite his nice fence and his active practice, His May of youth and bloom of lustihood.

About this piece

Leonato confronts Claudio about the slander against his daughter, expressing deep anger and hurt over the false accusations that have led to her disgrace.

50s · anger · betrayal · family · honor · revenge

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