Treat the Text Like Poetry: How Would You Work a Monologue??

Okay, so I just wanted to share a little slice of work with you. Whenever I approach a monologue or piece of text that I plan to perform, I divide the work into artistic beats. This really allows me to create an honest delivery and a literary aura of contextual realism. So - what I normally do is the following: divide the monologue into beats that I type up, print out the piece of paper, and handwrite the various objectives, relative personal experiences, and other artistic mechanisms to create an honest portrayal of the work. The following is Portia's famous monologue in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE and I love it. All I did so far was divide the piece into beats - I would normally incorporate the necessary work for it, but, as I'm not getting paid, I don't wanna give away all of my secrets, now do I??!

I pray you, tarry: 

pause a day or two

Before you hazard; 

for, in choosing wrong,

I lose your company: therefore forbear awhile.

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There's something tells me, 

but it is not love,

I would not lose you; and you know yourself,

Hate counsels not in such a quality.

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But lest you should not understand me well,--

And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,--

I would detain you here some month or two

Before you venture for me. 

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I could teach you

How to choose right, 

but I am then forsworn;

So will I never be: 

so may you miss me; 

But if you do, you'll make me wish a sin,

That I had been forsworn. 

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Beshrew your eyes,

They have o'erlook'd me and divided me;

One half of me is yours, 

the other half yours,

Mine own, I would say; 

but if mine, then yours, 

And so all yours. 

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O, these naughty times

Put bars between the owners and their rights!

And so, though yours, not yours. 

Prove it so,

Let fortune go to hell for it, 

not I.

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I speak too long; 

but 'tis to peize the time,

To eke it and to draw it out in length,

To stay you from election. 

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