The Duchess Monologue from The Duchess of Malfi

From The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

female · dramatic · 1:28 min

The misery of us that are born great, We are forced to woo because none dare woo us: And as a tyrant doubles with his words, And fearfully equivocates, so we Are forced to express our violent passions In riddles and in dreams and leave the path Of simple virtue which was never made To seem the thing it is not. Go, go brag You have left me heartless--mine is in your bosom, I hope ‘twill multiply love there. You do tremble, Make not your heart so dead a piece of flesh To fear, more than to love me. Sir, be confident-- What is’t distracts you? This is flesh, and blood, sir; ‘Tis not the figure cut in alabaster Kneels at my husband’s tomb. Awake, awake, man! I do here put off all vain ceremony, And only do appear to you a young widow That claims you for her husband, and like a widow, I use but half a blush in’t. John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi Act 1, Sc.2, ll.374-392.

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