Skip to main content
The Comedy of Errors

And thereof came it that the man was mad...

Overview

Character
Gender
Female
Playing Age
Mature Adult
Style
Dramatic
Act/Scene
Act 5 Scene 1
Time & Place
The monologue occurs outside the priory gates in Ephesus during the classical era.
Length
Short
Time Period
Classical
Show Type
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)

Context

Text

And thereof came it that the man was mad.

The venom clamours of a jealous woman

Poisons more deadly than a mad dog's tooth.

It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing,

And therefore comes it that his head is light.

Thou say'st his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings:

Unquiet meals make ill digestions;

Thereof the raging fire of fever bred;

And what's a fever but a fit of madness?

Thou say'st his sports were hinderd by thy brawls:

Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue

But moody and dull melancholy,

Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair,

And at her heels a huge infectious troop

Of pale distemperatures and foes to life?

In food, in sport and life-preserving rest

To be disturb'd, would mad or man or beast:

The consequence is then thy jealous fits

Have scared thy husband from the use of wits.

William Shakespeare The Comedy of Errors Act 5 sc.1 ll.69-87

Performance Tips

Emotional Beat Breakdown

Related Learning Modules

More Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.

Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only.