"Ellen Schoeters is a member of Actorama + where actors can upload a monologue or scene performance for peer review. What do you think of Ellen Schoeters's performance?"
(0 votes)
| Character | Timon | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Adult (36-50), Senior (>50) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Angry, Scolding, Flips out, Complaining | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Tragedy, Drama | |
| Description | Timon curses his friends | |
| Location | ACT III, Scene 6 | |
Summary
Timon is a generous wealthy man in Athens who enjoys sharing his wealth with his friends without expecting anything in return. In the first scene of the play we are introduced to him when a poet, a painter and a jeweler arrive to his house, hoping to sell their goods and services, knowing of his generous nature. He buys from them and then negotiates to pay for the release of a friend who is in jail because of his debts, Ventidius. After throwing a feast for his friends and giving them several gifts, various people wonder how he can manage not to run out of money.
When three creditors send their servants to collect from Timon, Flavius, Timon's servant, tells his master that he is in debt and has no money left. Timon sends his three servants to ask his friends for a loan but his three friends refuse to lend him any money. Timon's house is soon surrounded by servants of his creditors. Timon decides to hold a last dinner party and invite all his friends.
At the party, Timon says grace right before serving food to his friends. He invokes the gods not to be too generous to men. He curses his friends and tells them they mean nothing to him. Then he serves them boiling water and stones. He then loses his temper calls them parasites, wolves, bears and destroyers and leaves Athens.
When three creditors send their servants to collect from Timon, Flavius, Timon's servant, tells his master that he is in debt and has no money left. Timon sends his three servants to ask his friends for a loan but his three friends refuse to lend him any money. Timon's house is soon surrounded by servants of his creditors. Timon decides to hold a last dinner party and invite all his friends.
At the party, Timon says grace right before serving food to his friends. He invokes the gods not to be too generous to men. He curses his friends and tells them they mean nothing to him. Then he serves them boiling water and stones. He then loses his temper calls them parasites, wolves, bears and destroyers and leaves Athens.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
|---|
| TIMON Each man to his stool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place: sit, sit. The gods require our thanks. You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourselves praised: but reserve still to give, lest your deities be despised. Lend to each man enough, that one need not lend to another; for, were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forsake the gods. Make the meat be beloved more than the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains: if there sit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them be--as they are. The rest of your fees, O gods--the senators of Athens, together with the common lag of people--what is amiss in them, you gods, make suitable for destruction. For these my present friends, as they are to me nothing, so in nothing bless them, and to nothing are they welcome. Uncover, dogs, and lap. [The dishes are uncovered and seen to be full of warm water] [Some Speak What does his lordship mean?] [Some Others I know not.] TIMON May you a better feast never behold, You knot of mouth-friends I smoke and lukewarm water Is your perfection. This is Timon's last; Who, stuck and spangled with your flatteries, Washes it off, and sprinkles in your faces Your reeking villany. [Throwing the water in their faces] Live loathed and long, Most smiling, smooth, detested parasites, Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears, You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies, Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks! Of man and beast the infinite malady Crust you quite o'er! What, dost thou go? Soft! take thy physic first--thou too--and thou;-- Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none. [Throws the dishes at them, and drives them out] What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast, Whereat a villain's not a welcome guest. Burn, house! sink, Athens! henceforth hated be Of Timon man and all humanity! |
