BAJAZET Essay Example For Students

BAJAZET Essay A monolog from the play by Jean Racine NOTE: This monolog is republished from The Dramatic Works of Jean Racine. Trans. Robert Bruce Boswell. London: George Bell and Sons, 1911. ACHMET: Wouldst thou have me learnNow at my age the useless legend of love?And will a heart that long stretches of work have hardendBlindly submit to follow vain delights?Nay, she draws in my look with other charms,I love in her the blood of imperial sires.Through this partnership to the position of authority and brought nearBy Bajazet, I hence secure a shieldTo watch myself against him. Some offenceIs sure to ascend, for hardly has vizierBeen picked ere the Sultan fears his creature,And covetousness or jealousy before long impacts his ruin.To-day he praises me and courts my favour,The dangers he runs slant his heart toward me.But stablishd on the position of royalty, this BajazetPerchance will toss aside a pointless friend:And, if my devoted assistance be forgotten,The day may come when he will set out to fate meTo demise. I state no more, yet tis my purposeTo keep him sitting tight for my head full long.I know the obligation that I owe my masters,But tis for captives to humor their caprices,Nor am I so besotted as to lickThe hand that strikes me. Along these lines it comes to passThat I inside these dividers have free admittance,And with mine eyes may view Roxana.At first she listend to my voice, herselfUnseen, and feard to break the unbending lawsThat monitor the group of concubines. Be that as it may, those maddening scruples,Our chat hampering, ere long were banishd.She has herself picked this niche remoteWhere eyes may hearts find unrestraind.A slave conducts me by a mystery passageBut here she comes, with her adored Atalide.Stay, and be prepared, ought to there need arise,To sanction the announcement I will make her.