Monologue #1
Oh, come now, prince Phillip. Why so melancholy? A wondrous future lies before you. You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true. Behold, King Stefan’s castle, and in yonder topmost tower, dreaming of her true love, the princess Aurora. But see the gracious whim of fate. Why, ’tis the selfsame peasant maid, who won the heart of our noble prince but yesterday. She is indeed most wondrous fair. Gold of sunshine in her hair, lips that shame the red, red rose. In ageless sleep she finds repose. The years roll by, but a hundred years to a steadfast heart are ’bout a day. And now, the gates of the dungeon part, and the prince is free to go his way. Off he rides on his noble steed…a valiant figure, straight and tall, to wake his love with love’s first kiss, and prove that true love conquers all! Come, my pet. Let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts. A most gratifying day. For the first time in sixteen years I shall sleep well.
Monologue #2
This stuff’? Oh, ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean. You’re also blindly unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St Laurent, wasn’t it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic “casual corner” where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of “stuff.”
Questions
1) In what time period does monologue 1 take place?
2) In monologue 1, what is the speaker’s reason for speaking?
3) What is the motivation for the speaker in monologue 2?
4) If a year were not given, how would we know monologue 2 is set in modern times?
5) Give 3 examples of how these monologues are similar and 2 examples of how they are different.
1) Based on the references to a prince, a castle, and the mention of a hundred years, we can deduce that monologue #1 takes place in a medieval or fairy tale setting.
To determine the time period more specifically, we can look at the context of the story. The mention of King Stefan and the princess Aurora can lead us to the conclusion that it takes place in the time period of Disney's Sleeping Beauty, which is set in a medieval kingdom.
2) In monologue #1, the speaker's reason for speaking is to provide an enthusiastic and whimsical commentary on the events unfolding. The speaker is likely a narrator or a character who is expressing excitement and anticipation about the prince's journey to wake Princess Aurora.
3) In monologue #2, the motivation for the speaker is to criticize and educate the listener about their lack of awareness regarding the significance and influence of their clothing choices.
The speaker wants to point out that even though the listener may think their choice of clothing is insignificant, it actually reflects the impact of the fashion industry and how trends trickle down from high-end designers to everyday consumers.
4) If a year were not given in monologue #2, we could still infer that it is set in modern times based on several indicators. The mention of Oscar de la Renta's collection in 2002 and Yves St Laurent's influence suggests that the speaker is referring to recent fashion trends.
Additionally, references to department stores and clearance bins indicate a contemporary setting, as these are common features of modern shopping experiences.
5) Similarities between the monologues:
- Both monologues involve a speaker narrating or commenting on a situation or story.
- They both contain elements of storytelling and evoke emotions in the listeners.
- The speakers in both monologues use descriptive language to emphasize certain aspects of the story or the listener's choices.
Differences between the monologues:
- Monologue #1 is set in a fairy tale or medieval setting, while monologue #2 takes place in a modern fashion industry context.
- The motivations of the speakers differ. In monologue #1, the speaker is expressing enthusiasm and joy about the prince's journey, while in monologue #2, the speaker is criticizing and educating the listener.
- Monologue #1 revolves around a charming fairy tale romance, while monologue #2 focuses on the significance and influence of fashion choices.