ENGLISH

Adah’s speech from “Cain” by Lord Byron

* Cain is a dramatic work by Lord Byron published in 1821. In Cain, Byron dramatizes the story of Cain
and Abel from Cain's point of view. Cain is an example of the literary genre known as closet drama.

ADAH’S SPEECH:

A. brief synopsis

"Now the Serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made."

- Genesis, Chapter 3rd, verse 1.

B. character description
Adam Abel, Cain’s young brother and victim. He is a good man
who worships God sincerely. He is killed for telling Cain
Adam, the first man. He orders Cain to leave the family that he loves God more than life.
after the murder of Abel.

Eve
Adah
Eve, Adam’s wife, the first woman. Because she was bitter
at the expulsion from Eden, Cain blames her for his Adah, Cain’s wife. She tries to keep her husband from
undying bitterness against God and death and claims that following Lucifer to Hades. When her husband is banished
this bitterness was transmitted to him before birth. from the family, she accompanies him, taking their
children. She is a faithful wife.
Cain
Zillah
Cain, Adam’s elder son. He refuses to pray because of the
expulsion from Eden and is sullen at the loss of Zillah, Abel’s wife, a good woman.
immortality. He hates work and doubts God’s goodness.
Tempted, he follows Lucifer and expresses a wish to Lucifer
remain in Hades. Jealous of his brother Abel, Cain strikes Lucifer, the fallen angel. He says he did not appear as a
him a blow, killing him. Marked by an angel, Cain leaves his snake to tempt Eve. He exults that Cain shares his misery.
family. Destined to grow no living thing, he is a bitter man.
Enoch
Abel
Enoch, the son of Cain and Adah.

C. settings

- The book of Genesis / Paradise

D. theme

- Religious Inappropriateness / A mystery / Closet Drama

E. author

- By Lord Byron & George Gordon

Aphrodite in "DIALOGUES OF THE GODS" by Lucian
APHRODITE’S:

APHRODITE

Child, child, you must think what you are doing. It is bad enough on earth,—you are always inciting men to do some mischief, to themselves or
to one another;—but I am speaking of the Gods. You change Zeus into shape after shape as the fancy takes you; you make Selene come down
from the sky; you keep Helius loitering about with Clymene, till he sometimes forgets to drive out at all. As for the naughty tricks you play on
your own mother, you know you are safe there. But Rhea! How could you dare to set her on thinking of that young fellow in Phrygia, an old lady
like her, the mother of so many Gods? Why, you have made her quite mad: she harnesses those lions of hers, and drives about all over Ida with
the Corybantes, who are as mad as herself, shrieking high and low for Attis; and there they are, slashing their arms with swords, rushing about
over the hills, like wild things, with dishevelled hair, blowing horns, beating drums, clashing cymbals; all Ida is one mad tumult. I am quite
uneasy about it; yes, you wicked boy, your poor mother is quite uneasy: some day when Rhea is in one of her mad fits (or when she is in her
senses, more likely), she will send the Corybantes after you, with orders to tear you to pieces, or throw you to the lions. You are so
venturesome!

EROS

Be under no alarm, mother; I understand lions perfectly by this time. I get on to their backs every now and then, and take hold of their manes,
and ride them about; and when I put my hand into their mouths, they only lick it, and let me take it out again. Besides, how is Rhea going to
have time to attend to me? She is too busy with Attis. And I see no harm in just pointing out beautiful things to people; they can leave them
alone;—it is nothing to do with me. And how would you like it if Ares were not in love with you, or you with him?

APHRODITE

Masterful boy! Always the last word! But you will remember this someday.

A. brief synopsis

B. character description

Aphrodite - is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.

Eros - was the Greek God of sexual attraction.

C. settings

- Olympus

D. theme

- Satire
E. author

- Lucian of Samosata

Hera in "DIALOGUES OF THE GODS" by Lucian

HERA’S:
HERA

I must congratulate you, madam, on the children with whom you have presented Zeus.

LETO

Ah, madam; we cannot all be the proud mothers of Hephaestuses.

HERA

My boy may be a cripple, but at least he is of some use. He is a wonderful smith, and has made Heaven look another place; and Aphrodite
thought him worth marrying, and dotes on him still. But those two of yours!—that girl is wild and mannish to a degree; and now she has gone
off to Scythia, and her doings there are no secret; she is as bad as any Scythian herself,—butchering strangers and eating them! Apollo, too,
who pretends to be so clever, with his bow and his lyre and his medicine and his prophecies; those oracle-shops that he has opened at Delphi,
and Clarus, and Dindyma, are a cheat; he takes good care to be on the safe side by giving ambiguous answers that no one can understand, and
makes money out of it, for there are plenty of fools who like being imposed upon,--but sensible people know well enough that most of it is clap-
trap. The prophet did not know that he was to kill his favourite with a quoit; he never foresaw that Daphne would run away from him, so
handsome as he is, too, such beautiful hair! I am not sure, after all, that there is much to choose between your children and Niobe's.

LETO

Oh, of course; my children are butchers and impostors. I know how you hate the sight of them. You cannot bear to hear my girl complimented
on her looks, or my boy's playing admired by the company.

HERA

His playing, madam!—excuse a smile;—why, if the Muses had not favoured him, his contest with Marsyas would have cost him his skin; poor
Marsyas was shamefully used on that occasion; ’twas a judicial murder.—As for your charming daughter, when Actaeon once caught sight of
her charms, she had to set the dogs upon him, for fear he should tell all he knew: I forbear to ask where the innocent child picked up her
knowledge of obstetrics.

LETO

You set no small value on yourself, madam, because you are the wife of Zeus, and share his throne; you may insult whom you please. But there
will be tears presently, when the next bull or swan sets out on his travels, and you are left neglected.

A. brief synopsis

B. character description

Hera – is the Goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, and family.

Leto – is the Goddess of womanly demure and motherhood.
C. settings

- Olympus
D. theme

- Satire

E. author

- Lucian of Samosata

Juliet's Monologue from "ROMEO AND JULIET" by William Shakespeare

JULIET’S MONOLOGUE:

* The classic story of boy meets girl; girl's family hates boy's family; boy's family hates girl's family; boy
kills girl's cousin; boy and girl kill themselves.

A. brief synopsis

“Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”

— ROMEO AND JULIET, ACT 2 SCENE 2

B. character description
Romeo - Romeo Montague's son, who is loved and secret in the hope that marriage will restore peace
respected in Verona. between their families.

Juliet - Juliet Capulet's daughter. She is presented as Capulet - Juliet's father is quick-tempered and
a young and innocent adolescent, not yet 14 years impetuous but is initially reluctant to consent to
old. Juliet's marriage with Paris because Juliet is so
young. Later, he changes his mind and angrily
Mercutio - Mercutio Kinsman to the prince and
demands that Juliet obey his wishes.
friend of Romeo. His name comes from the word
mercury, the element which indicates his quick Paris - A noble young kinsman to the Prince. Paris is
temper. well-mannered and attractive and hopes to marry
Juliet.
Tybalt - Tybalt Lady Capulet's nephew and Juliet's
cousin. Tybalt is violent and hot-tempered, with a Benvolio - Montague's nephew and friend of Romeo
strong sense of honor. and Mercutio. Benvolio is the peacemaker who
attempts to keep peace between Tybalt and
The Nurse - Juliet's nursemaid, who acts as
Mercutio.
confidante and messenger for Romeo and Juliet. Like
Mercutio, the Nurse loves to talk and reminisce, and Lady Capulet - Lady Capulet is vengeful and she
her attitude toward love is bawdy. demands Romeo's death for killing Tybalt.

Friar Laurence - A brother of the Franciscan order Montague - Romeo's father, who is concerned by his
and Romeo's confessor, who advises both Romeo son's melancholy behavior.
and Juliet. The Friar agrees to marry the couple in
Balthasar - Romeo's servant. He brings Romeo the
news in Mantua that Juliet is dead.
C. settings

- Verona, Italy

D. theme

- Tragedy, Romance

E. author

- By William Shakespeare

Praxagora's Speech from "THE ECCLESIAZUSAE" by Aristophanes

* is a comedy written by the Greek playwright Aristophanes in 391 BCE. The play invents a scenario
where the women of Athens assume control of the government and instate pseudo-communist reforms
that ban private wealth and enforce sexual equality for the old and unattractive.

PRAXAGORA’S SPEECH:

A. brief synopsis

B. character description
*Praxagora - an Athenian Wife a housewife of *Selfish Man
Athens who has become disgusted with the
*Herald - a woman appointed by Praxagora
dishonesty of public officers, the fickleness and
greed of the people, and the mismanagement of *First Old Woman
domestic and foreign affairs.
*Girl
*First Woman a neighbor of Praxagora
*Epigenes - a young man
*Second Woman - Praxagora's neighbor
*Second Old Woman
*Blepyrus - Praxagora's Husband
*Third Old Woman
*Neighbor of Blepyrus
*Maid of Praxagora"
*Chremes

C. settings

- An Athenian street

D. theme

- Comedy
E. author

- By Aristophanes

Choose a particular monologue and provide an analysis by answering the following questions on a ½
crosswise sheet of pad paper (List the title on the paper):

a. What is the main conflict/theme presented in the monologue?

b. What qualities/flaws have been exhibited by the character in the monologue?

c. What do you think are the important considerations as to how the monologue is to be delivered
effectively?