3 Best A Question of Sex Monologues

A Question of Sex (Francis)

Category: Play Role: Francis From: A Question of Sex

Francis says

I will tell you his object, Mrs. Stanton. As you may possibly have heard, I am an industrious and painstaking person. I work hard and live plainly, and the exercise of those gifts which heaven has been pleased to grant me, I have accumulated a fortune–some would call it a large fortune; I merely call it a fortune. I daresay I am worth a hundred thousand pounds. Now you might imagine that, possessing this and a clear conscience, I am happy.

But there is another and darker side to the picture which I am endeavouring to paint, Mrs. Stanton. I am cursed, continually cursed, in spite of what George is pleased to consider my advanced age, with an impulse–the impulse of unrestrained generosity. Acting under this impulse, about six months ago, when George imparted to me the information that–er–he, that Ada–when, I say, George, imparted to me the information, I said: “George, if your child is a boy, I will settle ten thousand on him.”

You see boys are so helpless. A boy can’t marry a rich husband; can’t make his own clothes; can’t, if the worst comes to the worst, go out as mother’s help–that is why I said, “if it is a boy I will settle ten thousand pounds on your child.” I was under no obligation to make the offer. I acted more from impulse, the impulse of absurd generosity.

And how does George repay me? lying to me, and, what is worse, getting his sister to lie to me. In order to obtain a paltry ten thousand pounds he is willing to stain his honour with a lie. Bah! You, Mrs. Stanton, with characteristic insight and common-sense, have at once put your finger on the most despicable aspect of this painful affair.

The lie was useless, futile, silly.

A Question of Sex (George)

Category: Play Role: George From: A Question of Sex

George says

Strain! If you knew the strain I’ve been bearing for months past!

Haven’t you noticed the dark rings under my eyes, the unnatural brightness of my orbs, the hectic flush on my cheeks, the bald spot on the back of my head?

Strain!… My dear sister, I have a secret and terrible woe — a woe which, with courage worthy of an Englishman and a parent, I have shared with none.

May, I am undone! I feared it. I have feared it for many weeks.

Listen. Five or six months ago, Uncle Francis said that if it was a son, he would settle ten thousand pounds upon it.

And if a daughter? He coldly declined to consider the possibility of such a thing.

You know the special brand of ass he is sometimes. I said nothing to anybody, not even to my wife, for I felt that it would worry her. Imagine my condition of mind, my agonising suspense.

Do you wonder that I have been wakeful night after night?

Do you wonder that, from pure weariness and fatigue, I should fall asleep on this very afternoon of my undoing? Oh, May! To be a father is not so simple and pleasing as the superficial observer might fancy.

A Question of Sex (Helen)

Category: Play Role: Helen From: A Question of Sex

Helen says

George Gower, does it not occur to you that these terrible oaths are sadly out of place?

Recollect that as a father you are considerably less than a day old. Blasphemy from lips so young is an instance of infant depravity, such as even I, a district visitor, have seldom seen surpassed.

Our curate at Ealing has composed a special form of prayer for young parents.

I have brought it over with me, and I shall ask you to — to make it your own.

In the meantime I beg you not to disgrace the sacred name of father. Think of poor, dear Ada. Ah, my darling sister has behaved splendidly! Think of what she has been through!