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wikiHow to Memorize a Shakespearean Monologue

Three Parts:Selecting and Analyzing a MonologueMemorizing the LinesCrafting your PerformanceCommunity Q&A

Memorizing a Shakespearean monologue can be a daunting task at first, whether you’re memorizing it for a school assignment or for a professional theater audition. Although theater monologues are often drawn from Shakespeare’s plays, the language is challenging and often difficult to memorize because of its age and its lyricism. However, there are many proven techniques and resources which will help you select, memorize, and successfully perform your monologue.

Part 1
Selecting and Analyzing a Monologue

  1. 1
    Read various monologues, whether online or in books. Shakespeare’s many plays are full of monologues—if you’re allowed to choose your own, read liberally through the plays to find something you like. If you are not inclined to read several plays, or simply don’t have time, talk to your instructor or friends about popular Shakespearean monologues. Also look for videos or Youtube clips of Shakespearean monologues, and see which hold your interest.
    • The traditional advice is that the monologue should be appropriate for your own age and gender. However, if you’re looking to make a bold theatrical statement, consider performing a monologue by a character of a different age or gender than your own.
    • There are entire websites devoted to cataloging all of the Shakespearean monologues and soliloquies. A monologue is a speech delivered by an individual in front of other characters, while a soliloquy is a speech in which a character speaks their own thought aloud while alone on stage, revealing their inner conflict. Both occur frequently within Shakespeare’s plays.[1]
  2. 2
    Make sure that you can relate to the monologue and that you feel connected to the character. If the monologues confuses you or you find the character flat, unappealing, or unlikeable, you are less likely to deliver it in a convincing manner.
    • It may help you better understand both the monologue and the character if you watch a dramatic production or a film version first. You may be able to find clips of popular monologues on YouTube.
  3. 3
    Comprehend the monologue you have chosen. Shakespeare’s monologues are filled with beautiful and challenging language, but it’s hard to memorize pure language if you don’t understand what it means or what your character is actually saying. [2]
    • Understand the story that is being portrayed in the play and the role that your monologue plays in the overall narrative.
    • You may need added context to understand the monologue; read the scene that precedes the monologue, and work out any words or phrases that confuse you.
    • If you’re struggling to comprehend your monologue, find a modernized version of the text online, or ask a teacher or professor for help.
  4. 4
    Translate your chosen monologue into modern English. Shakespeare’s Early Modern English usage can be challenging to contemporary performers, and it helps to memorize Shakespearean language if you know exactly what you are saying. If there is anything you don't understand, don't be afraid to look it up. You will be able to memorize your monologue more quickly if you comprehend the language.
    • You don’t necessarily need to look up or translate the entire monologue—focus on passages that are confusing or involve puns or other wordplay.
    • Remember that Shakespeare’s plays are meant to be performed by actors on a stage. The characters speak to communicate to one another; if you understand the emotions and arguments that the characters are trying to convey, you’ll be able to contextualize the monologue.[3]
  5. 5
    Understand your character’s attitude and mindset. To fully understand the emotions and thoughts you will convey in your monologue, go through the monologue and write down what your objectives are and what tactics your character might use to get what they want.
    • Study this list of your character’s objectives, and take in to consideration what you want to do to bring these tactics and needs to life.

Part 2
Memorizing the Lines

  1. 1
    Read the monologue out loud many times. Do not just mumble it under your breath or read it silently to yourself. Read it out loud again and try changing your acting choices.
    • As you read the lines, stand up and move around; you are not going to perform the audition seated, so you should get used to reciting the monologue on your feet.
    • For example, while portraying Shylock from The Merchant of Venice (the monologue when he talks about revenge) you might first practice talking quietly and intensely, so as to make your point clear—the second time, you might raise your voice with each repeated phrase. Experiment until you feel comfortable and the delivery feels natural.
  2. 2
    Write down the entire monologue multiple times. This will help you visualize the monologue while you memorize and, later, deliver it. Just by writing and thinking of the words, you help improve your memory of the monologue.[4]
    • Your priority should be on understanding and remembering the content of the monologue; once you understand the content, the lines will fall into place more naturally.
    • Focus especially on parts that are difficult or tricky for you to learn. Writing these sections repeatedly will help you cement the language in your mind.
  3. 3
    Mark where the “beats” start and stop in the piece. In the theater, a “beat” is a change in topic or thought within a monologue.[5] Write the different emotions during each beat and how tactics change during your monologue. This will help you feel less overwhelmed by the size of the monologue by breaking it down into 5 or 6 smaller, and more manageable, beats.
    • For example, say your character wants something from another character. Their first tactic might be yelling at them, but then their second tactic might be asking nicely.
  4. 4
    Block all of the monologue lines except for the one you are trying to memorize. If you have a printed copy of the monologue, you can easily do this with a folded sheet of paper or a note card. Hold the card across the page to block lines lower than the one you are memorizing—then read that line over and over until you know it. [6]
    • You can also leave exposed the line preceding the one you’re memorizing (this is called the “cue line.”) Allowing each line to lead you into the next one will help you memorize them as a sequence and add a conversational flow to your performance.
  5. 5
    Take a nap. Naps have been shown to help aid in short-term memorization; they give your mind a chance to rest and absorb the language you have been memorizing. So, after you work on memorizing a section of your monologue, take a short nap.[7]
    • After your nap, try reciting your lines to see how much you remember. Then (later that day or the next day), learn more lines and take another nap.
  6. 6
    Walk while you memorize your lines. Professionals often find that walking while learning lines helps the memorization process go more quickly—and also helps more of the language stick in their minds.[8]
    • Walk around with the printed version of your monologue and block out lines you’ve already memorized, then test yourself by reciting those lines without the paper.
    • If you walk as part of your daily routine (whether it’s for exercise or walking to work / school), get in the habit of reciting your lines as you walk. This is especially effective if you’ve spent time memorizing your lines right before you take your walk.[9]
  7. 7
    Record yourself reciting the monologue and listen to it. Listening to yourself speak will help you find flaws in your monologue, which you can then improve. Listening to any recorded version of the monologue—even your own—will also help you memorize it.
    • To help with your stage presence and overall performance, film yourself reciting the monologue.[10] Although it can be strange or embarrassing to watch yourself at first, this will help you notice any odd habits you have (a nervous tic, for example) and help you fine-tune your bodily movements and facial expressions.

Part 3
Crafting your Performance

  1. 1
    Find the rhythm in the language of your monologue. Shakespeare’s plays are written in poetic verse—usually in iambic pentameter. This is a metered type of poetry, which begins with an unstressed syllable and then alternates stressed-unstressed-stressed-unstressed. Understanding the poetic rhythm will help the language feel more lyrical and natural to speak.[11]
    • Although rhythm and iambic pentameter are valuable to crafting your delivery, try not to make your delivery sound unnatural or too forced.
  2. 2
    Figure out your blocking and physical movements. Although this is not directly related to memorization, “blocking” (the timing of your physical movement on the stage) is still an important part of performing your monologue. After you’ve memorized the language of the play, decide what to do with your body. Is your character moving around the stage as they speak? Are they sitting; do they pick up and touch objects while they speak?
    • Tie your blocking and physical movements to the emotions that your character expresses. If you let the language and emotion drive your physical movements, they will appear natural.
    • Blocking can help with line memorization, too. If you associate certain lines with specific positions on the stage or physical movements, these motions will bring your lines to mind as well. [12]
  3. 3
    Focus on your character. This is the single most important aspect of your monologue performance, and should be considered before you worry about linguistic nuances, etc. Try to understand and embody your character’s emotions and motives—what do they want; how do they feel?[13]
    • Avoid thinking of the monologue as merely reciting a list of memorized words. [14] Instead, focus on embodying and inhabiting your character—speak their words with their emotions.
  4. 4
    Practice your monologue until you can perform it with confidence. Rehearse your monologue in the shower; recite it in front of your pets, friends, and family; say your lines over in your head as you buy groceries and go to the gym. Repeated practice will boost your confidence and help you feel less nervous. Plus, you’ll even start to enjoy the monologue and be able to personalize your delivery.

Community Q&A

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  • Don't try to perform your monologue without significant rehearsal and practice.
  • Don't be afraid to ask for help if you don't understand something or aren’t sure of something.
  • Do not perform your monologue until you have learned all the facts surrounding the speech.

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