YEAR 12 ENGLISH
THE CRUCIBLE – MONOLOGUE
GETTING INTO ROLE
ROLE: Who are you? _____________________________________
CONTEXT: When are you speaking? (Time frame in play)
What has happened to trigger your monologue?
Where are you?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FEELINGS: How are you feeling at the time? (eg anger, disgust, vengeful, horrified, guilt-stricken, frightened, self-pitying, sinful, bitter)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RELATIONSHIPS: Who might you reflect on? What motivates you to like/dislike or support/undermine these characters?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ACTION: What has happened? Which events will you reflect on?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FUTURE: What conclusions have you drawn as a result of your reflection? What will you do next?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MONOLOGUE
Monologues are delivered by a character in a play. They are long speeches (spoken aloud) revealing the character’s thoughts, perceptions and feelings about events and other characters.
The monologue may be: 1. presented in the first person; thoughts spoken aloud
2. presented in first and second person; may address an audience
Characters usually do not hide their feelings in monologues. The character may:
- Express opinions
- Reflect on past experiences
- Try to work out answers to questions and problems
- Address issues raised by others
- Argue with themselves
- Face up to difficult realities
- Tell the truth to themselves
- Berate themselves
- State opinions about what should be/has been done
A monologue is NOT a retelling of events in the play. It is a reflective piece that explores a character’s emotions. If you find a pattern of ‘and then this happened’, you are on the wrong track.
GENERIC STRUCTURE
Orientation
- Outlines context – who, what, where, when
- Establishes thesis/point of view/position
Events Explores personal insights into people, events, motivations for actions
Reorientation Summarises an overall opinion on events/people and should provide a direct link to the orientation. May consider future options.
TEXTUAL FEATURES
Vocabulary Formal language; key words/phrases as used in the text
Do not try to use ‘flowery’, unnatural language that you are not familiar with.
There is no necessity to quote from the play, however, you may reflect on a statement made by someone, which has had a strong impact on you.
Cohesion: Personal – ‘I’, first person
Sequence – then, when, afterwards, since
Causation – therefore, because, consequently
Contrast – however, but, on the other hand, although
Coordination – and, also, in addition, what is more
Repetition of words, phrases and ideas could assist in cohesion and impact.
Grammar: Emotive words – feelings should be highlighted. Often uses present tense in orientation and reorientation though events are discussed in part tense.
Delivery: In written form, often no paragraphing. However as a spoken piece, a variety of pause, pace, pitch, tone is an integral part of establishing authenticity to engage the audience.