Monologue

Sykes Monologue from Getting Married

From Getting Married by Bernard Shaw

male · dramatic · 1:20 min

Sinjon: you have no right to say that. I expressly said that I'm ready to go through with it. (EDITH: Cecil: do you mean to say that you have been raising difficulties about our marriage?) I raise no difficulty. But I do beg you to be careful what you say about people. You must remember, my dear, that when we are married I shall be responsible for everything you say. Only last week you said on a public platform that Slattox and Chinnery were scoundrels. They could have got a thousand pounds damages apiece from me for that if we'd been married at the time. EDITH (austerely) I never said anything of the sort. I never stoop to mere vituperation: what would my girls say of me if I did? I chose my words most carefully. I said they were tyrants, liars, and thieves; and so they are. Slattox is even worse. (HOTCHKISS: I'm afraid that would be at least five thousand pounds.) If it were only myself, I shouldnt care. But my mother and sisters! Ive no right to sacrifice them.

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