King Lear · Act 1, Scene 2
Edmund monologue from King Lear
- Play
- William Shakespeare
- Men
- Playing age 20s–40s
- About 1:15
- Classical · verse
Edmund’s monologue from the play King Lear by William Shakespeare (Act 1, Scene 2). A classical piece for men with a playing age of 20s–40s, running about 1:15.
The full speech. Read it out loud twice before you start working it.
Edmund’s monologue
Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law
My services are bound. Wherefore should I
Stand in the plague of custom, and permit
The curiosity of nations to deprive me,
For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines
Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base?
When my dimensions are as well compact,
My mind as generous, and my shape as true,
As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us
With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base?
Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take
More composition and fierce quality
Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed,
Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops
Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then,
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land.
Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund
As to th' legitimate. Fine word- 'legitimate'!
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper.
Now, gods, stand up for bastards!
Public domain text.
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About King Lear
- King Lear is based on the legend of Leir, a king of pre-Roman Britain.
- In 1681 Nahum Tate rewrote it with a happy ending, and his version held the stage for about 150 years.
All 7 monologues from King Lear All 135 William Shakespeare monologues
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