Monologue

Portia Monologue from The Merchant of Venice

From The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

female · dramatic · 1:35 min

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Away, then! I am lock’d in one of them. If you do love me, you will find me out. Nerissa and the rest, stand all aloof. Let music sound while he doth make his choice. Then if he lose he makes a swan-like end, Fading in music. That the comparison May stand more proper, my eye shall be the stream And wat’ry death-bed for him. He may win, And what is music then? Then music is Even as the flourish when true subjects bow To a new-crowned monarch. Such it is As are those dulcet sounds in break of day That creep into the dreaming bridegroom’s ear And summon him to marriage. Now he goes, With no less presence, but with much more love Than young Alcides when he did redeem The virgin tribute paid by howling Troy To the sea-monster: I stand for sacrifice; The rest aloof are the Dardanian wives, With bleared visages come forth to view The issue of th’ exploit. Go, Hercules! Live thou, I live. With much much more dismay I view the fight than thou that mak’st the fray.

About this piece

Portia anxiously awaits the outcome of Bassanio's choice among the caskets, reflecting on love, sacrifice, and the nature of desire.

20s · anticipation · love · fate · sacrifice · 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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