Julia’s Monologue from The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 1, Scene 2: "Nay, would I were so anger’d with the same!"


Synopsis

Julia wrestles with conflicting emotions after receiving a letter from Proteus, whom she loves but has tried to reject. In this monologue, her actions—tearing the letter and then piecing it back together—reveal her inner turmoil and vulnerability. She scolds herself for her initial rejection and tenderly kisses the pieces of the torn letter, symbolizing her affection for Proteus and her struggle with her own emotions.

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

Julia initially dismisses the idea of her love for Proteus, rejecting the letter he has sent. However, after Lucetta retrieves it, Julia’s true feelings emerge, and she becomes overwhelmed by her love for Proteus.

Original Text

*"Nay, would I were so anger’d with the same!
O hateful hands, to tear such loving words;
Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey,
And kill the bees that yield it, with your stings!
I’ll kiss each several paper for amends.
Look, here is writ ‘kind Julia.’ Unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,
I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
And here is writ ‘love-wounded Proteus’.
Poor wounded name: my bosom, as a bed,
Shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal’d;
And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.

But twice, or thrice, was ‘Proteus’ written down:
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away,
Till I have found each letter, in the letter,
Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear
Unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock,
And throw it thence into the raging sea.
Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ:
‘Poor forlorn Proteus’, ‘passionate Proteus’.
‘To the sweet Julia’: that I’ll tear away.
And yet I will not, sith so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names.
Thus will I fold them one on another:
Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will."*

Translation of Text into Contemporary Language

*"I wish I were so angry that I could stay angry!
Oh, hateful hands, for tearing apart such loving words.
You’re like stinging wasps, feeding on sweet honey
And killing the bees that made it with your stings!
I’ll kiss each piece of the letter to make up for it.

Look, here’s written ‘kind Julia.’ Unkind Julia!
To punish myself for my ungratefulness,
I’ll throw my name onto the hard stones
And trample it for rejecting his love.

And here’s written ‘love-wounded Proteus.’
Poor wounded name: my heart will be a bed
To shelter you until your wound is healed.
And I’ll soothe it with a healing kiss.

Proteus’ name appears twice, maybe three times in the letter.
Be still, gentle wind, don’t blow any words away
Until I’ve found every letter, except my own name.
That, let a whirlwind carry to a jagged, hanging rock
And throw it into the raging sea!

Look, here in one line his name appears twice:
‘Poor forlorn Proteus,’ ‘passionate Proteus.’
‘To the sweet Julia’: I’ll tear that part out.
But wait—I won’t, since he wrote it so sweetly,
Connecting it to his sorrowful names.

So I’ll fold the pieces together:
Now kiss, embrace, fight, do whatever you will."*

Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words

  • Injurious wasps: Harmful or cruel creatures, metaphor for her hands.

  • Sovereign kiss: A healing or supreme kiss.

  • Sith: Since or because.

  • Complaining names: Sorrowful or lamenting descriptions of himself.

Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing with Acting Notes

  1. "Nay, would I were so anger’d with the same! O hateful hands, to tear such loving words; Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey, And kill the bees that yield it, with your stings!"
    Acting Note: Begin with self-reproach and frustration. Julia is upset with her own actions and uses vivid metaphors to scold herself.

  2. "I’ll kiss each several paper for amends. Look, here is writ ‘kind Julia.’ Unkind Julia! As in revenge of thy ingratitude, I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain."
    Acting Note: Shift to a mix of tenderness and self-punishment. Julia alternates between affection for the letter and anger at her initial rejection.

  3. "And here is writ ‘love-wounded Proteus’. Poor wounded name: my bosom, as a bed, Shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal’d; And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss."
    Acting Note: Speak with soft, heartfelt emotion. Julia’s love for Proteus shines through as she cares for the symbolic “wounded” name.

  4. "But twice, or thrice, was ‘Proteus’ written down: Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away, Till I have found each letter, in the letter, Except mine own name..."
    Acting Note: Add urgency and desperation. Julia carefully examines the pieces, determined to preserve every part of Proteus’s message.

  5. "That some whirlwind bear Unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock, And throw it thence into the raging sea."
    Acting Note: Use a dramatic tone, imagining her name cast away as a punishment for her earlier behavior.

  6. "Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ: ‘Poor forlorn Proteus’, ‘passionate Proteus’. ‘To the sweet Julia’: that I’ll tear away. And yet I will not, sith so prettily He couples it to his complaining names."
    Acting Note: Alternate between playful teasing and affection. Julia wrestles with her emotions but ultimately cherishes the letter.

  7. "Thus will I fold them one on another: Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will."
    Acting Note: End with a playful and romantic tone. Julia reconciles her conflicting emotions, embracing the messiness of love.

Journey Keypoints

  • Hook: Julia begins by scolding herself for tearing the letter, setting a tone of conflict and regret.

  • Turning Point: She discovers the pieces and begins cherishing Proteus’s words, her affection overcoming her anger.

  • Climax: Julia envisions her name discarded, symbolizing her guilt and self-reproach.

  • Resolution: She pieces the letter back together, expressing love and acceptance.

Famous or Notable Actors Who Have Played the Role

  • Peggy Ashcroft (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1957)

  • Tamsin Greig (The Globe Theatre, 2005)

  • Vanessa Kirby (National Theatre Live, 2014)

  • Lucy Phelps (RSC, 2019)

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