Fire and fury: Powerful monologues that echo the struggles of women

It's Women's Day again—a day of celebration marked by purple outfits, chocolates, and flowers at work, if you're lucky, alongside empowerment commercials from a society that has persistently failed women. And yet, as the horror persists, so do women.  

Movies and series have given us unforgettable monologues by women whose words still ring true. Women have fought to be seen as equals for as long as history has been recorded, and at the rate the world is going, the fight is far from over.  

From a young age, girls read fairy tales that assure them a prince charming will come to their rescue, leading to a perfect happily-ever-after. But reality tells a different story—animals don't sing in harmony, fairy godmothers don't exist, and women must fight their own battles.

Characters like Gloria from 'Barbie', Jo from 'Little Women', and Rose from 'Fences' reveal the harsh realities women face—compromising, sacrificing, working endlessly, pouring in emotional labour—only to still be labelled— "Not good enough."

Here are five iconic monologues that remind women they are not alone in their battle against society.

Barbie (2023)

America Ferrera as Gloria

The Monologue: "It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong.

You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can't ask for money because that's crass. You have to be a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other people's ideas. 

You're supposed to love being a mother, but don't talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men's bad behaviour, which is insane, but if you point that our, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.

But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.

I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don't even know."

Little Women (2019)

Saoirse Ronan as Jo March

The Monologue: "If I was a girl in a book this would all be so easy. Just give up the world happily. I've always been quite content with my family, I don't understand it. Perhaps I was too quick in turning him down, Laurie. If he asked me again I think I would say yes. Do you think he'll ask me again? I care more to be loved, I want to be loved. I just feel like women, they have minds and they have souls as well as just hearts. And they've got ambition and talent as well as just beauty, and I'm so sick of people saying love is all a woman is fit for. I'm so sick of it, but I'm so lonely."

Fences (2016)

Viola Davis as Rose Maxson

The Monologue: "I been standing with you! I been right here with you, Troy. I got a life too. I gave several years of my life to stand in the same spot with you. Don't you think I ever wanted other things? Don't you think I had dreams and hopes? What about my life? What about me. Don't you think it ever crossed my mind to want to know other men? That I wanted to lay up somewhere and forget about my responsibilities? That I wanted someone to make me laugh so I could feel good?

You not the only one who's got wants and needs. But I held on to you, Troy. I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams…and I buried them inside you. I planted a seed and waited and prayed over it. I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom. And it didn't take me no eighteen years to find out the soil was hard and rocky and it wasn't never gonna bloom.

But I held on to you, Troy, I held you tighter. You was my husband. I owed you everything I had. Every part of me I could find to give you. And upstairs in that room…with the darkness falling in on me…I gave everything I had to try and erase the doubt that you wasn't the finest man in the world, and wherever you was going…I wanted to be there with you. Cause you was my husband. Cause that's the only way I was gonna survive as your wife. You always talking about what you give…and what you don't have to give. But you take too. You take…and don't even know nobody's giving."

Fleabag (2016-2019)

Kristin Scott Thomas as Belinda 

The Monologue: "I've been longing to say this out loud. Women are born with pain built in. It's our physical destiny—period pains, sore breasts, childbirth, you know. We carry it within ourselves throughout our lives. Men don't. They have to seek it out. They invent all these gods and demons so they can feel guilty about things, which is something we do very well on our own. 

And then they create wars so they can feel things and touch each other and when there aren't any wars they can play rugby. We have it all going on in here, inside. We have pain on a cycle for years and years and years, and then just when you feel you are making peace with it all, what happens?

The menopause comes. The menopause comes and it is the most wonderful thing in the world. Yes, your entire pelvic floor crumbles and you get hot and no one cares, but then you're free. No longer a slave, no longer a machine with parts. You're just a person. In business."

Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

The Monologue: "People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say 'No, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently? Make them. You want to change things? You're going to have to go out there and change them yourself—because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."