Friendly Folio - Speeches

More about Speeches

Each speech has a unique number, preceded by M- (for a man), W- (for a women), and G- (for a speech that can be used by either sex). The total number of lines in the speech is given, and it indicates when the speech is in prose. The first line of the speech is noted, and if there is a significant line in the speech, or if the usual starting point is not at the very beginning, then that is noted below the first line in brackets and in smaller typeface.

Browsing the speeches

If you know the play and character from which your speech is taken, then go to the play and character, and look through the speeches associated with it. Remember to look at the line in brackets below the first line, in case that is what you are looking for. You can also use the search facility, and by typing in the name of the character or of a particular word in the first line, find what you are looking for.

You can also sort the speeches by Code: the G-, M-, and W- (looking for a specific type of speech – this is how you can find all the uni-sex speeches prefixed G-); sort them by Character (looking for a particular name); or sort by first line, to see what is available for you.

If you want to see all the speeches that we have from a particular play, then clicking on the play title will show you all that we have for that title.

General speeches

There is no reason for you to limit yourself to a man's or woman's speech according to your own sex, so if you wish to extend your choice then there are some general speeches (G-) that can be done by either sex. We have also included those parts that would have been played by youths in Shakespeare's day, and these appear both as a man's and as a general speech, which is why we have the same speech with two different Code letters.

Famous lines

Sometimes a well known line is not the start of the speech. In these cases, and to help you find interesting speeches, we have marked both the first and the significant line, printed in brackets and in smaller typeface. When looking for your speech, use the Search tool on the Speeches page to find the speech or speeches containing the specific word (and remember that Elizabethan spelling can sometimes vary from that used today).

Timings

If you are unsure how long each speech will run, bear in mind that 10 lines will run for between 30 and 40 seconds when fully acted out. We have sometimes joined several speeches together to make it more useful to you, and when this is done we have included just the cue words before the next speech (just like the way Parts would have been laid out when using Original Practices).

Can't find a speech?

If you find that the speech (or collection of shorter speeches) that you want is not listed, then a special request to us (telling us a line from a speech, and how many lines you are interested in) will get you a Friendly Folio version for no extra charge.