Monologues for Men

Most plays, movies, and animation films are often started with a monologue by the lead character or a narrator introducing the characters. This is precisely how it is defined--a particular character in the play is speaking his/her thoughts out loud, addressing the audience.

It can be used anywhere in the script, not just in the beginning. It describes one person talking to his own intellect in the form of the audience. Depending on the personality of the movie, monologues can be comical, dramatic, or casual.

Writers like William Shakespeare have always included these in their plays, thus making them a practice in contemporary art as well. Given here are some examples.

The characters who have narrated these in the movies given here are portrayed as great men with inadequacies, often made victims of helplessness.

Charlie Chaplin: "Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness."

Forrest: "You died on a Saturday morning, and I had you placed here, under our tree. And I had that house of your father's bulldozed to the ground. Mama always said dying was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't...."

Lt. Col. Frank Slade: "If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a FLAME THROWER TO THIS PLACE!"

Colonel Nathan Jessup: "You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?"

Gordon Gekko: "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit...

...Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."

Monologues can also be funny. Given here are some famous ones.

Chris Walken: "So he hid it in the one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass. Then, he died of dysentery. He gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass, two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you."

Tyler Durden: "Welcome to Fight Club. The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You do NOT talk about Fight Club."

Zee to Psychiatrist: "I think everything must go back to the fact that I had a very anxious childhood, you know my mother never had time for me. You know when you're a middle child in a family of five million, you don't get any attention, I mean how's it possible. And I've always had these abandonment issues, which played me...

...My father was basically a drone like I've said, you know the guy flew away when I was just a larva... and my job, don't get me started on, cause it really annoys me, I was not cut out to be a worker, I'll tell you right now, I feel physically inadequate." (text missing on purpose)...

..."I mean I gotta believe there's someplace out there that's better than this! Otherwise I'd just curl up in a larva position and weep! (pause) The whole system out there just makes me feel...(thinking) Insignificant!"

Monologues have the capacity to inspire the audience or make a movie memorable. They form an important part of theater.