Shakespeare's Monologues
Shakespeare's Monologues
Sir John Falstaff is a man of contradictions. He is both witty and easily duped, wicked without being menacing, a liar without malice and a knight who is ultimately a coward. Despite these qualities, or perhaps because of them, Falstaff becomes a mentor to Prince Hal in the ways of the “tavern life.” Although his acts may be considered unseemly, Falstaff is wise and good natured. He serves as a non judgmental father figure to his young friend. Falstaff is a comic, larger than life figure and is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and written about characters.
While King Henry IV fights to squash the voices of dissension within his kingdom, Prince Hal shirks his duties at Court and has chosen to live a life of drink, robbery and debauchery with unsuitable characters such as Sir John Falstaff. Once the open rebellion against the king's rule begins, Hal heeds his father’s call and, with the help of Falstaff, cobbles together an army to face one of Henry's enemies, Hotspur.
In act 5 scene 1, all attempts at a peaceful resolution to the conflict have failed.and a battle with Hotspur will commence as planned the next morning. Hal tries to shore up his friend for what’s coming by saying “thou owest God a death.” The monologue that follows, done as a direct address to the audience, is Falstaff’s response.
Character description, monologue synopsis and scoring provided by Marc Arricale as part of the Spring 2019 THT 352 class.
'Tis not due yet; I would be loath to pay him before
his day. What need I be so forward with him that
calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter; honour pricks
me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I
come on? how then? Can honour set to a leg? no: or
an arm? no: or take away the grief of a wound? no.
Honour hath no skill in surgery, then? no. What is
honour? a word. What is in that word honour? what
is that honour? air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it?
he that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? no.
Doth he hear it? no. 'Tis insensible, then. Yea,
to the dead. But will it not live with the living?
no. Why? detraction will not suffer it. Therefore
I'll none of it. Honour is a mere scutcheon: and so
ends my catechism.
| Number of syllables | Scored Text | Meaning of beat |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | ‘Tis not due yet I would be loath to pay him before | [Beginning of beat 1] To weasel out of |
| 12 | his day . What need I be so for ward with him that | |
| 12 | calls not on me? Well 'tis no matter honour pricks | [End beat 1, Begin beat 2 at "Well"] To resign ; |
| 13 | me on. Yea but how if honour prick me off when I | [End beat 2, Begin beat 3 at "Yea"] To horrify |
| 12 | come on? how then? Can honour set to a leg? no: or | [End beat 3, Begin beat 4 at "how"] To reason |
| 13 | an arm? no: or take away the grief of a wound? no: | |
| 12 | Honour hath no skill in surgery then? no. What is | [Continue beat 4, Begin beat 5 at "What"] To ponder |
| 12 |
honour ? a word. What is in that word honour? |
|
| 13 | What is that honour ? air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? |
[Continue beat 5, Begin beat 6 at "air"] To proclaim [Begin beat 7 at "Who"] To relish |
| 12 | he that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. | |
| 12 | Doth he hear it? no. Tis insenseible, then . Yea, | |
| 12 | to the dead . But will it not live with the living? | [Continue beat 7, Begin beat 8 at "But"] To hope |
| 12 | No . Why? Detraction will not suffer it. There fore | [Continue beat 8, Begin beat 9 at "Why"] To get the last word |
| 13 | I'll none of it. Honour is a mere scutcheon and so | |
| 5 | ends my catechism. | [End beat 9] |
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Definitions from David & Ben Crystal / Shakespeare's Words are under copyright, and may not be used without their express permission. All other definitions are from sources in the public domain.
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