Twelfth Night
Olivia monologue from Twelfth Night
- Play
- William Shakespeare
- Women
- Playing age 20s–40s
- About 0:45
- Classical
Olivia’s monologue from the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. A classical piece for women with a playing age of 20s–40s, running about 0:45.
The full speech. Read it out loud twice before you start working it.
Olivia’s monologue
:
O, what a deal of scorn looks beautiful In the contempt and anger of his lip! A murderous guilt shows not itself more soon Than love that would seem hid: love's night is noon. Cesario, by the roses of the spring, By maidhood, honour, truth and every thing, I love thee so, that, maugre all thy pride, Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide. Do not extort thy reasons from this clause, For that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause, But rather reason thus with reason fetter, Love sought is good, but given unsought better.
Public domain text.
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About Twelfth Night
- The title refers to the twelfth night after Christmas, a night of celebration.
- Shipwrecked in Illyria, Viola disguises herself as a young man named Cesario.
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