Are you faint at the sight of Shakespeare’s words? Many actors worry over remembering a long list of lines for an upcoming performance or audition. Memorizing one of Shakespeare’s monologues can be an intimidating task. These ten steps make it easy.

1. Choose a monologue that fits the personality you want to show your audience. A monologue from Othello is not likely to show your playful side. A Falstaff selection is more appropriate.
2. Read the scene and play that your selection comes from. Read the synopsis of your scene and any articles you find about your character. The better you understand your monologue the easier it is to memorize.
3. Look up any words or phrases you are unsure of. Shakespeare was a master of word play. You may miss a joke if you do not understand the exact meaning of a word as it was during his time.
4. Mark the verbs and nouns and highlight any words you want to emphasize.
5. Mark the spots where the thought or emotion changes. This helps avoid awkward breaks in the middle of lines.
6. Create a through line of action. A through line connects what your character was doing before entering the scene to what they do after the scene.
7. Decide your character’s motivations for their words and actions.
8. Write your lines out. Skip a line between the thought changes you identified in step 5.
9. Read each line aloud three times in a row. You want to be exact with your lines. Hearing your lines read correctly helps you learn them faster.
10. Say each line without looking at your script then check to see if you were right. If you had any words wrong or struggled to recall the line repeat steps 9 and 10 for that line. Move to the next line if you had it right. Each time you have three lines memorized say them together without looking at your script. Continue steps 9 and 10 for the rest of the monologue.

Anyone can learn a Shakespearean monologue. This skill will help you on stage and with any public speaking or memorization.

 Tips

• Sing your lines or use different accents or voices to memorize lines easier.
• Get up and move. Pair lines with actions for muscle memory.
• Go over lines first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
• Learn whole thoughts or ideas, not by line breaks.
• Try a line learner app like LinePlease, Script Rehearser, My Lines, or LineLearner.

Sources

Learn-All-Your-Lines-for-a-Play,-in-One-Day

Line Memorization on Acting Up

Choosing a Shakespeare Monologue