Claudio's monologue, from the Shakespeare play Measure for Measure. Just watch... ;) Context: Claudio has been sentenced to death for something that isn't necessarily wrong. He's trying to convince his sister, Isabella, to help him—but doing so would involve her doing something that would go against her personal morals. This monologue is essentially about the fear of death. Sorry if that's very vague... the play involves some nsfw stuff, so I can't really elaborate further.
"Ay, but to die, and go we know not where; To lie in cold obstruction and to rot; This sensible warm motion to become A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside In thrilling region of thick-ribbed ice; To be imprison'd in the viewless winds, And blown with restless violence round about The pendent world; or to be worse than worst Of those that lawless and incertain thought Imagine howling: 'tis too horrible! The weariest and most loathed worldly life That age, ache, penury and imprisonment Can lay on nature is a paradise To what we fear of death. Sweet sister, let me live."
