Monologue

Mowbray Monologue from Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Oxford 1911)/Volume 4/The Tragedy of King Richard the Second

From Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Oxford 1911)/Volume 4/The Tragedy of King Richard the Second by Oxford 1911

male · anguished · 1:21 min

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:A heavy sentence, my most sovereign liege, :And all unlook'd for from your highness' mouth: :A dearer merit, not so deep a maim :As to be cast forth in the common air, :Have I deserved at your highness' hands. :The language I have learn'd these forty years, :My native English, now I must forgo; :And now my tongue's use is to me no more :Than an unstringed viol or a harp, :Or like a cunning instrument cas'd up :Or, being open, put into his hands :That knows no touch to tune the harmony: :Within my mouth you have engaol'd my tongue, :Doubly portcullis'd with my teeth and lips; :And dull, unfeeling, barren ignorance :Is made my gaoler to attend on me. :I am too old to fawn upon a nurse, :Too far in years to be a pupil now: :What is thy sentence, then, but speechless death, :Which robs my tongue from breathing native breath?

About this piece

Mowbray expresses his profound sorrow and despair at being unjustly sentenced to exile, feeling that his identity and voice are being stripped away from him.

40s · despair · identity · power · isolation · death

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