Chapter
33
Scenes and Monologues
But
when they ask you what it means, say you this;
HAMLET,
IV, V
REFER
TO YOUR complete collection of Shakespeare.
While any edition will do, some are more helpful than others. In this
book, line notations are taken from The Pelican Shakespeare edited by
Alfred Harbage (Viking Penguin, 1977).
In other editions, lineation and punctuation may differ. The punctuation in the Pelican edition is
especially good. Check the scenes and
monologues listed in this chapter for the rehearsal material. All of these will work with students. After selection, consider the following
study or rehearsal procedures.
Copy the scene. Then
have the students type it themselves, double spaced, and check it for spelling
and punctuation accuracy. Have the
students read the entire play aloud and know how this scene (or monologue) fits
into the overall action.
This study can be done in small groups
comprised of those students who are working on scenes or monologues from the
same play. In a class of twenty, you might use scenes and monologues from four
plays; so each reading/study group consists of five students.
Next, work out the scansion. Mark stressed
syllables, mark feminine endings or elide as necessary, and underline words
that break the rhythm. Circle all
phrases and breathing points, and look up all words. If you have time to uncover the antithesis, do that; it will add
immeasurably to your success. Only now
are you ready to begin rehearsing the scene.
Scenes
of two or three minutes in length (five minutes maximum) are enough for young
actors—about forty to fifty lines, or twenty to twenty-five lines for each
actor. To get fifty lines "right" is a challenging task, and allowing
students to work on more than twenty-five lines each simply means that many
more hours of rehearsal per scene are required. For monologues, twelve to
fifteen lines are sufficient.
If
you intend to present the scenes as an "evening of Shakespeare"
or similar performance, short scenes and one-minute monologues work very well.
For monologues, it's often helpful to use a second, nonspeaking actor standing
downstage, giving the speaker someone to address. For soliloquies, the single
actor can use the entire class as the audience. When performing, you might have
someone other than the actors introduce the scenes, but have the actors
introduce their own monologues.
The
majority of scenes and monologues listed below are taken from the most
"popular" eight plays, from which you probably select your
curriculum. A few selections from other plays are also listed. Roles written
for men can often be played by women.
SCENES AND
MONOLOGUES FROM THE EIGHT MOST POPULAR PLAYS
As You Like It
Scenes
·
I, iii,
lines I-36, for two women (Celia and Rosalind), in prose. To continue, add one
man (the Duke) for lines 37-85, for a section in verse. After the Duke exits, Celia and Rosalind
have a verse scene from lines 86-134, which, in itself, makes a short scene.
·
III, ii,
lines 157-240, for two women (Celia and Rosalind), in prose.
·
III, v,
lines 1-137, for one man and two women (Silvius, Phebe and Rosalind—cut Celia
and Corin), in verse. After Rosalind
exits at line 79, there is a two-person verse scene between Phebe and Silvius.
·
IV, iii, lines
76-181, for one man and two women (Oliver, who has most of the dialogue, Celia
and Rosalind), mixes prose and verse.
Monologues
·
II, vii,
lines 139-166, for a man (Jaques), in verse.
·
III, v,
lines 35-63, for a woman (Rosalind), in verse.
·
III, v, lines
108-134, for a woman (Phebe), in verse.
·
Epilogue, a
woman (Rosalind), in prose.
Continues with suggested Scenes and Monologues from a total of 25 other plays