Monologue

Menenius Monologue from Coriolanus

From Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

male · sarcastic · 1:32 min

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I am known to be a humorous patrician and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tiber in’t; said to be something imperfect in favouring the first complaint, hasty and tinder-like upon too trivial motion; one that converses more with the buttock of the night than with the forehead of the morning. What I think I utter, and spend my malice in my breath. Meeting two such wealsmen as you are—I cannot call you Lycurguses—if the drink you give me touch my palate adversely, I make a crooked face at it. I cannot say your Worships have delivered the matter well when I find the ass in compound with the major part of your syllables. And though I must be content to bear with those that say you are reverend grave men, yet they lie deadly that tell you have good faces. If you see this in the map of my microcosm, follows it that I am known well enough too? What harm can your bisson conspectuities glean out of this character, if I be known well enough, too?

About this piece

Menenius addresses a group of citizens, expressing his disdain for their complaints and the way they present themselves, using humor and sarcasm to critique their character and motives.

40s · disgust · identity · power · honor · isolation

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