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| Character | Launce | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Teenager (13-19), Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Lamenting, Complaining, Frustrated, Mocking | |
| Type | Comic | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Comedy | |
| Props | Two shoes, a staff and a hat | |
| Description | Launce complains about his dog's insensitivity | |
| Details | ACT 2 Scene 3 | |
Summary
The play is about two childhood friends from Verona, Valentine and Proteus. In the beginning of the story Valentine leaves Verona for the Duke's court in Milan. Proteus remains in Verona because of his love for Julia. Proteus' father, Antonio, eventually decides to send his son to the Duke of Milan's court to join Valentine. Reluctantly, Proteus accepts his father's will and leaves with his servant Launce.
In this funny monologue, in ACT II, Scene 3, Launce laments the fact that his dog Crab didn't show any emotions when he bade farewell to his family. Launce says everybody was sad and emotional, his sister, maid, his grandmother and even his cat but not Crab. He didn't even shed a tear...He then acts out the scene using his shoes to play his parents, a staff to play his sister, a hat to play her maid. He then debates to himself if he should play Crab or Crab should play himself. He tells the audience to pay attention on how insensitive the dog was through-out the whole scene.
In this funny monologue, in ACT II, Scene 3, Launce laments the fact that his dog Crab didn't show any emotions when he bade farewell to his family. Launce says everybody was sad and emotional, his sister, maid, his grandmother and even his cat but not Crab. He didn't even shed a tear...He then acts out the scene using his shoes to play his parents, a staff to play his sister, a hat to play her maid. He then debates to himself if he should play Crab or Crab should play himself. He tells the audience to pay attention on how insensitive the dog was through-out the whole scene.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
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| LAUNCE Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done weeping; all the kind of the Launces have this very fault. I have received my proportion, like the prodigious son, and am going with Sir Proteus to the Imperial's court. I think Crab, my dog, be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear: he is a stone, a very pebble stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog: a Jew would have wept to have seen our parting; why, my grandam, having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner of it. This shoe is my father: no, this left shoe is my father: no, no, this left shoe is my mother: nay, that cannot be so neither: yes, it is so, it is so, it hath the worser sole. This shoe, with the hole in it, is my mother, and this my father; a vengeance on't! there 'tis: now, sit, this staff is my sister, for, look you, she is as white as a lily and as small as a wand: this hat is Nan, our maid: I am the dog: no, the dog is himself, and I am the dog--Oh! the dog is me, and I am myself; ay, so, so. Now come I to my father; Father, your blessing: now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping: now should I kiss my father; well, he weeps on. Now come I to my mother: O, that she could speak now like a wood woman! Well, I kiss her; why, there 'tis; here's my mother's breath up and down. Now come I to my sister; mark the moan she makes. Now the dog all this while sheds not a tear nor speaks a word; but see how I lay the dust with my tears. |
