Monologue

Mam Monologue from The Alchemist

From The Alchemist by Ben Jonson

any · philosophical · 1:13 min

Rehearse this freeFind more monologues
'Tis like your Irish wood, 'Gainst cob-webs. I have a piece of Jason's fleece, too, Which was no other than a book of alchemy, Writ in large sheep-skin, a good fat ram-vellum. Such was Pythagoras' thigh, Pandora's tub, And, all that fable of Medea's charms, The manner of our work; the bulls, our furnace, Still breathing fire; our argent-vive, the dragon: The dragon's teeth, mercury sublimate, That keeps the whiteness, hardness, and the biting; And they are gathered into Jason's helm, The alembic, and then sow'd in Mars his field, And thence sublimed so often, till they're fixed. Both this, the Hesperian garden, Cadmus' story, Jove's shower, the boon of Midas, Argus' eyes, Boccace his Demogorgon, thousands more, All abstract riddles of our stone. --How now! Do we succeed? Is our day come? and holds it?

About this piece

Mam is engaged in a complex discussion about alchemical processes, drawing on mythological references, and expressing eagerness about the success of their endeavors.

30s · anticipation · alchemy · knowledge · transformation · mythology

Rehearse Mam's monologue

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.

Rehearse freeStart rehearsing

More from The Alchemist