Love’s Labor’s Lost – Monologue (Adriano De Armado)

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A monologue from the play by William Shakespeare

Act 1, Scene 2

Adriano De Armado

* I will hereupon confess I am in love: and as it is
base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a
base wench.

If drawing my sword against the humour
of affection would deliver me from the reprobate
thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and
ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised
courtesy.

I think scorn to sigh: methinks I should
outswear Cupid. Comfort, me, boy: what great men
have been in love?

*I do affect the very ground, which is base, where
her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which
is basest, doth tread.

I shall be forsworn, which is a great
argument of falsehood, if I love.

And how can that be true love which is falsely
attempted? Love is a familiar; Love is a devil:

there is no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so
tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was
Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit.

Cupid’s butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules’ club;
and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard’s rapier.

The first and second cause will not serve my turn;
the passado he respects not, the duello he regards
not:

his disgrace is to be called boy; but his
glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust rapier!

be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea,
he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme,
for I am sure I shall turn sonnet.

Devise, wit; write, pen; for I
am for whole volumes in folio.

Note: This monologue is actually made up of two different monologues from Act 1, Scene 2 and have been marked with *

Read the play here

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