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Essential Question:
Essential Question:
How does an actor convey emotion?
How does an actor convey emotion?
While reading a poem aloud might not be acting in the fullest sense of the word, your performance will share a great deal in common with acting. Your tools will be your tone of voice, facial expressions, and gestures. For today's module, we will examine a number of Shakespearean monologues and how actors bring the words, and the characters speaking them, to life.
Key Terms
Key Terms
Monologue
Soliloquy
Monologues and Soliloquies
Monologues and Soliloquies
Shakespeare is rightly famous for the many monologues and soliloquies worked into his plays (don't worry, he writes very witty dialogue as well). Both are kinds of speeches with one key difference. A monologue is spoken to other characters on stage, while a soliloquy is spoken alone on stage. Both give us insight into a character's mind, but soliloquies, especially, help to reveal the inner motivations of a character. They are intimate, and personal, not to mention a real challenge to perform.
Below you will find two examples drawn from Shakespeare: one a monologue, one a soliloquy. consider both carefully. What do they reveal about the characters?
Both scenes are drawn from The Hollow Crown, a recent production of the Henriad, a sequence of history plays (beginning with Richard II, and followed by Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V). The complete texts of these plays are available for free (and beautifully presented) by the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Monologue
Monologue
This scene is a monologue performed by King Henry IV (Jeremy Irons). You can already tell it's a monologue from the screen shot above in which other actors are very visible.
To give you context for the scene, Henry IV is furious at his eldest son, Prince Hal (who will later take the throne as Henry V) for his poor behavior about town.
As you watch pay careful attention to Irons as an actor. His use of tone is impressive, and even as he rages each line is clear. Think about the emotions of the scene and everything about these characters being revealed here.
Soliloquy
Soliloquy
Again, it is somewhat clear from the screenshot that the above scene is a soliloquy as the actor is alone on the stage. Here Macbeth contemplates seizing the throne by terrible means.
Shakespeare uses soliloquys to great effect in many of his plays. In each the character speaking reveals his (or her) inner most desires. For the audience this requires something of a suspension of disbelief, accepting that we are being given special insight into the character rather than watching realistic events. It would be unlikely for this character to ever stand around speaking these words, as being overheard would lead to his arrest for treason.
Activity: Shakespeare Analysis
Activity: Shakespeare Analysis
Now you will analyze one of Shakespeare's speeches. Watch the video carefully and then write a one paragraph analysis in which you summarize the scene and explain how the actor uses tone, expression, and gestures to bring the scene to life. If you would like to read the text of this speech, you may use this link to make a copy for yourself in Drive.
Interested in looking at Shakespeare's writing? Try these sites:
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