Here is a book for handbag or pocket that is full of monologues from the Bard; fifty-six speeches embracing the greatest female characters in Shakespeare's canon. Each is preceded by an in-depth exposition establishing intent as well as placing you in the scene.

The comedies. Two gentlemen of Verona, Silvia ; Two gentlemen of Verona, Julia ; The taming of the shrew, Katharina ; Love's labour's lost, Princess ; A midsummer night's dream, Titania ; A mid summer night's dream, Helena ; As you like it, Rosalind ; As you like it, Phebe ; The merry wives of Windsor, M. Quickly ; The comedy of errors, Adriana ; The merchant of Venice, Portia ; Twelfth night, Viola ; All's well that ends well, Helena -- The tragedies. Romeo and Juliet, Nurse ; Romeo and Juliet, Juliet ; Julius Caesar, Portia ; Hamlet, Ophelia ; Hamlet, Queen Gertrude ; Othello, Desdemona ; Titus Andronicus, Tamora ; Macbeth, Lady Macbeth ; King Lear, Goneril ; King Lear, Cordelia ; Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra -- The romances. Pericles, Dionyza ; Pericles, Marina ; Cymbeline, the queen ; Cymbeline, Imogen ; The tempest, Miranda ; Troilus and Cressida, Cressida ; All's well that ends well, Helena ; All's well that ends well, Countess ; Measure for measure, Isabella -- The histories. King Henry IV, part I, Lady Percy ; King Henry IV, part II, Mistress Quickly ; King Henry IV, part II, Doll Tearsheet ; King Henry V, Hostess ; King Henry VI, part II, Queen Margaret ; King Henry VI, part III, Queen Margaret ; King Henry VIII, Queen Katherine ; King Richard II, Duchess of York ; King Richard III, Lady Anne ; King Richard III, Queen Margaret ; King John, Constance.