CURRICULUM PROJECT
REVEALING A
CHARACTER’S
PSYCHE
THROUGH
MONOLOGUE
PLAYS COVERED
TWELFTH NIGHT
WHAT’S ON AND WHY?
Giving an assignment that asks students to do a close reading of
a text and analyze characters is an effective way to assess their
understanding. A monologue is a great way to peek into a
character’s pure psyche. For this project, students will write a
monologue based on any character from Twelfth Night. Students
will choose lines from the play to create their monologue.
Students will paraphrase their monologues into modern language
and perform the monologue. Additionally, students will
illuminate their monologues using technology.
 This lesson will take 2-3 45 minute class periods.
DAY 1
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 Warm up: Ask students which character from the play they would like to be if they
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were acting out the play. Ask students to share why they would like to be this
character.
A brief introduction to monologue structure may be necessary before moving on to
the activities for the day.
Explain to students that they will need to choose a character from Twelfth Night for
whom they will write a monologue. They may even want to stay with the character
they chose in the warm up.
Next, explain to students that they are to go through the play and choose 10-15 lines
that are spoken by their character. They should choose lines that reveal something
about their character and the lines should be chosen from more than one of the
character’s speeches. Students should write these lines in their notebook (write the
page next to the line).
After the students have chosen their lines, give them worksheet 1 and ask them to
organize their monologue the way they want it to be. The monologues can be
between 10-15 lines.
Next, they are to underline any word in each line that they do not understand and use
the Shakespeare glossary to write the definition of the word on the worksheet.
 HW: Students should review the order of their monologues. (See handout 1)
DAY 2
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What is this saying?
Warm Up: Ask students to stand anywhere in the room and read their monologues. This is
their final chance to organize and revise. The teacher should decide how long they should get
to do this.
Distribute Shakespeare Glossary to students or if you have access to the internet in the room
www.absoluteshakespeare.com/glossary/a.htm and ask them to write the definition for the
words they underlined. The definitions should be written in their notebooks.
After they have defined all unknown words, explain to students that they are to paraphrase
their monologues into modern English (line by line). Even though they are paraphrasing, they
should keep in mind that they are revealing the psyche of their character.
After the students have completed their paraphrase, they should answer the questions about
their monologue. This should be done on Worksheet 2. This will take the rest of the class
period to complete.
HW: Explain to students that for their homework they are to illuminate their monologue
using physicalization, PowerPoint, or audacity. If they use PowerPoint, each line of the
monologue should be illuminated. Be sure to inform the students that the script they are
working with is the Shakespearean script and not the modern language script. Illuminations
should not be more than 2 minutes.
** Note that this HW assignment will take approximately two nights to complete.
DAY 3
 Monologue Festival
 Warm up: Ask students to stand anywhere in the room that
they feel comfortable. Teacher will go around the room and
each student will physicalize the first line of their monologue
while saying the words. Do this until all the students have had
a turn.
 Smart Board of projector should be ready for those students
who will PowerPoint or audacity.
 Put numbers in a bag and have the students pick a number
which is the order they will go.
 Each student should be given the opportunity to show or
perform their monologue. The rest of the class is free to ask
questions when each is done but limit the number of questions
to two.
HOW DID IT GO?
 Were students able to choose a character from
the play that they wanted to be? Were students
able to go through the play and extract lines that
revealed their character’s psyche? Were students
able to understand what the lines were saying
and write a paraphrase of the monologue? Did
students complete the technology piece the way
you wanted them to. Were students able to
explain which character they chose, why they
chose that character and why they chose to
illuminate the way they did?
What you need & What’s Next
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What you need:
Copies of Folger Twelfth Night for each student
Smart board or projector
Shakespeare glossaries
PowerPoint or audacity program.
 What Next?
 Now that students are familiar with the monologue structure,
have them research monologues from other plays by
Shakespeare and write a paraphrase using modern English. You
can also extend this to other classes and have students
memorize monologues to be performed.
Worksheet 1: Random Lines
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O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first. (7)
O she that hath a heart of that fine frame. (8)
I know thee well. (161)
Thou shalt not be the worse for me. (163)
Here comes the countess, now heaven walks on earth. (167)
Come away. (171)
If music be the food of love, play on. (7)
I shall have share in this most happy wrack. (179)
Give me thy hand and let me see thee in thy woman’s weeds. (179)
Here is my hand- you shall from this time be your master’s mistress. (183)
Give me some music. (67)
O, then unfold the passion of my love. (25)
Now, good Cesario
Stand you awhile aloof. (23)
Worksheet 1: Organized Monologue
 Now, good Cesario (67)
 Stand you awhile aloof. (23)
 Here comes the countess, now heaven walks on earth. (167)
 O when mine eyes did see Olivia first. (7)
 O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame. (8)
 I know thee well. (161)
 Thou shalt not be the worse for me. (163)
 Here is my hand- you shall from this time be your master’s mistress.183
 Give me your hand and let me see thee in thy woman’s weed. (179)
 Give me some music. (67)
 If music be the food of love play on. (7)
 I shall have share in this most happy wrack. (179)
 Come away. (171)
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Then unfold the passion of my love. (25)
Worksheet 2: Paraphrase & Questions
 Students will write a paraphrase of their monologue in modern
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English.
Students will answer questions about the monologue.
1. What is your characters full name?
2. What is your status/occupation?
3. To whom do you direct your words to and why?
4. Are their other people in your monologue? Explain who they
are/ role.
5. What is revealed about the character through your monologue?
6. Explain how your monologue fit in the story of the play.