Monologue

Lord Darlington Monologue from Lady Windermere's Fan

From Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde

male · romantic · 1:52 min

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Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship. I love you— (LADY WINDERMERE: No, no!) Yes, I love you! You are more to me than anything in the whole world. What does your husband give you? Nothing. Whatever is in him he gives to this wretched woman, whom he has thrust into your society, into your home, to shame you before every one. I offer you my life— (LADY WINDERMERE: Lord Darlington!) My life—my whole life. Take it, and do with it what you will.... I love you—love you as I have never loved any living thing. From the moment I met you I loved you, loved you blindly, adoringly, madly! You did not know it then—you know it now! Leave this house to-night. I won’t tell you that the world matters nothing, or the world’s voice, or the voice of society. They matter a great deal. They matter far too much. But there are moments when one has to choose between living one’s own life, fully, entirely, completely—or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands. You have that moment now. Choose! Oh, my love, choose.

About this piece

Lord Darlington passionately confesses his love to Lady Windermere, urging her to choose between societal expectations and her true feelings.

30s · longing · love · freedom · society · identity

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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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