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Shakespeare's Cressida's monologue. HELP!

This speech is Cressida confessing her love to Troilus.

CRESSIDA
Hard to seem won, but I was won, my lord,
With the first glance that ever -- pardon me.
If I confess much, you will play the tyrant.
I love you now, but not till now so much
But I might master it; in faith, I lie.
My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown
Too headstrong for their mother. See? We fools.
Why have I blabbed? Who shall be true to us
When we are so unsecret to ourselves?
But though I loved you well, I wooed you not,
And yet, good faith, I wished myself a man,
Or that we women had men's privilege
Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue,
For in this rapture I shall surely speak
The thing I shall repent. See, see? Your silence,
Coming in dumbness, from my weakness draws
My soul of counsel from me. Stop, my mouth.

Can someone help me understand this speech?
And what does she means when she says,
Who shall be true to us when we are so unsecret to ourselves?

Thank you!
Reply 1
Original post by katie_shannon
This speech is Cressida confessing her love to Troilus.

CRESSIDA
Hard to seem won, but I was won, my lord,
With the first glance that ever -- pardon me.
If I confess much, you will play the tyrant.
I love you now, but not till now so much
But I might master it; in faith, I lie.
My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown
Too headstrong for their mother. See? We fools.
Why have I blabbed? Who shall be true to us
When we are so unsecret to ourselves?
But though I loved you well, I wooed you not,
And yet, good faith, I wished myself a man,
Or that we women had men's privilege
Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue,
For in this rapture I shall surely speak
The thing I shall repent. See, see? Your silence,
Coming in dumbness, from my weakness draws
My soul of counsel from me. Stop, my mouth.

Can someone help me understand this speech?
And what does she means when she says,
Who shall be true to us when we are so unsecret to ourselves?

Thank you!


You might not have been able to tell, my lord,
But I was in love with you from the first glance you ever… ahem.
If I tell you what's in my mind, you will take advantage of me.
I love you now, but up to now I loved you less,
So that I could keep control of the feelings. Actually, that's not true.
My thoughts ran around so much that
Even I, their creator, couldn't keep control of them. See? People are fools.
Why have I said this? Who shall keep our secrets
When we don't keep even our own?
I loved you so much, but I didn't pursue you
And yet I wished that I were a man
Or that women were allowed to speak
When not spoken to. My dear, tell me to shut up
Because I'm so love-stricken that I'm going to say
What I will regret saying. Look, it's happening already - you've not told me
To shut up, and I'm not strong-willed enough
To stop myself spilling my deepest secrets. Argh, Cressida, shut up!
Reply 2
Original post by Smaug123
You might not have been able to tell, my lord,
But I was in love with you from the first glance you ever… ahem.
If I tell you what's in my mind, you will take advantage of me.
I love you now, but up to now I loved you less,
So that I could keep control of the feelings. Actually, that's not true.
My thoughts ran around so much that
Even I, their creator, couldn't keep control of them. See? People are fools.
Why have I said this? Who shall keep our secrets
When we don't keep even our own?
I loved you so much, but I didn't pursue you
And yet I wished that I were a man
Or that women were allowed to speak
When not spoken to. My dear, tell me to shut up
Because I'm so love-stricken that I'm going to say
What I will regret saying. Look, it's happening already - you've not told me
To shut up, and I'm not strong-willed enough
To stop myself spilling my deepest secrets. Argh, Cressida, shut up!



Oh thank you so much! this is perfect. A lot more clearer. Thanks!
Reply 3
Original post by katie_shannon
Oh thank you so much! this is perfect. A lot more clearer. Thanks!


No problem :smile: it's much easier if you read it aloud - you can usually get the emphasis in the right place without understanding what it means. Shakespeare is surprisingly much easier to understand in a broad Yorkshire accent :tongue:
That's pretty much it, but try this if you need more:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Troilus-Cressida-Plain-Simple-English/dp/1478342544

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