Cressida’s Monologue from Troilus and Cressida, Act 3, Scene 2:

"Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart"


Synopsis

Cressida confesses her love for Troilus with a mix of passion, hesitation, and self-awareness. She reveals her internal conflict about expressing her feelings, grappling with societal expectations for women to remain reserved. This monologue captures Cressida’s vulnerability and boldness as she navigates the delicate balance between revealing her love and maintaining her dignity.

What’s just happened before this moment that’s relevant to the scene?

Troilus and Cressida, having been brought together by Pandarus, are finally alone. In this intimate moment, Cressida is overcome with emotion and confesses her feelings, though she wrestles with her own hesitations and insecurities.

Original Text

"Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart:
Prince Troilus, I have lov’d you night and day
For many weary months.
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 till now not 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 blabb’d? Who shall be true to us
When we are so unsecret to ourselves? –
But though I lov’d you well, I woo’d you not;
And yet, good faith, I wish’d 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,
Cunning in dumbness, from my weak draws
My very soul of counsel. Stop my mouth."

Translation of Text into Contemporary Language

"I suddenly feel bold and confident:
Prince Troilus, I’ve loved you for months,
Day and night.
It’s hard to pretend I wasn’t easily won,
But I fell for you the first time I saw you—
Forgive me!
If I admit too much, you’ll use it against me.
I love you now, but until now, not so much
That I couldn’t control it. Actually, that’s not true—
My thoughts were like unruly children,
Completely out of control. See how foolish we are?
Why did I let it slip?
How can anyone else keep our secrets
If we can’t even keep them ourselves?
But though I loved you deeply, I didn’t try to woo you;
Still, I wish I’d been a man
Or that women had the right to speak first.
Sweetheart, tell me to stop talking,
Because if I keep going, I’ll say something I’ll regret.
See? Your silence—so clever—
Is pulling the truth from me,
Everything I swore to keep hidden. Stop me!"

Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words

  • Boldness: Courage or confidence.

  • Seem won: Pretend to be hard to win over.

  • Master it: Control or restrain her love.

  • Unbridled children: Uncontrolled thoughts or feelings.

  • Unsecret: Reveal a secret.

  • Privilege: Right or advantage.

  • Cunning in dumbness: Skillful in silence.

  • Soul of counsel: Deepest secrets or thoughts.

Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing with Acting Notes

  1. "Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart: Prince Troilus, I have lov’d you night and day For many weary months."
    Acting Note: Start with tentative confidence, like stepping out of the shadows. Cressida is taking a leap by admitting her feelings.

  2. "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."
    Acting Note: Shift to vulnerability and hesitation. She catches herself revealing too much and fears giving Troilus too much power.

  3. "I love you now, but till now not so much But I might master it. In faith I lie – My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown Too headstrong for their mother."
    Acting Note: Add self-awareness and frustration. Cressida scolds herself for her lack of control over her feelings.

  4. "See, we fools! Why have I blabb’d? Who shall be true to us When we are so unsecret to ourselves?"
    Acting Note: Let the tone become self-deprecating and reflective. She’s questioning her own impulsiveness.

  5. "But though I lov’d you well, I woo’d you not; And yet, good faith, I wish’d myself a man, Or that we women had men’s privilege Of speaking first."
    Acting Note: Shift to longing and frustration with societal constraints. There’s a tinge of envy and defiance in her voice.

  6. "Sweet, bid me hold my tongue, For in this rapture I shall surely speak The thing I shall repent."
    Acting Note: Add urgency and desperation. Cressida feels herself spiraling into unrestrained honesty and pleads for Troilus to stop her.

  7. "See, see, your silence, Cunning in dumbness, from my weak draws My very soul of counsel. Stop my mouth."
    Acting Note: End with surrender and vulnerability. Cressida is overwhelmed by Troilus’s silent power and her inability to contain her feelings.

Journey Keypoints

  • Hook: Cressida begins with boldness, surprising herself as she admits her love for Troilus.

  • Turning Point: Her confession becomes conflicted as she realizes she may have revealed too much.

  • Climax: Cressida reflects on her lack of control and societal limitations, questioning her actions.

  • Resolution: She surrenders to the moment, asking Troilus to silence her before she says more.

Famous or Notable Actors Who Have Played the Role

  • Frances Barber (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1985)

  • Annette Bening (Public Theater, New York, 1995)

  • Cush Jumbo (Royal Exchange Theatre, 2012)

  • Ellie Kendrick (Globe Theatre, 2015)


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