Woyzeck #2

Front 1

Captain: Slow down, Woyzeck, slow down! One thing at a time. You’re making me nervous. Stop rushing around like that. What am I supposed to do with the ten minutes after youre done? What use are they to me? Think about this, Woyzeck. You’ve got a good thirty to go. Thirty years. That’s three hundred and sixty months. Then there’s the days, the hours, the minutes. What are you going to do with all that terrible amount of time? Huh? Take it easy Woyzeck.

Back 1

Yes, sir

Front 2

Captain: I’m worried about. . .the world. Im worried about. . .eternity. It’s a hell of a problem, Woyzeck, a hellava problem. Eternity. . .is eternity. . .is well, eternity. It’s just a moment, Woyzeck. A single moment. It frightens me. The way the world revolves in a single day. I mean, what a waste of time! What’s it for? I cant even look at a wheel anymore. I get depressed.

Back 2

Yes, sir

Front 3

Captain: You always look so tense. A good man doesn’t look like that, woyzeck. Not a man with a clear conscience. Talk to me woyzeck. How’s the weather?

Back 3

Bad sir, its windy

Front 4

Captain: Uhh, yes, youre right. There’s a huge wind out there. I can feel it. My back is tickling. As if a mouse was crawling all over it. (slyly) I’d say it is a nor’-souther.

Back 4

Yes, sir

Front 5

Captain: Ha ha ha. Nor’-souther! Ha ha ha. God, youre stupid. Really stupid. You’re a good man, woyzeck. But you’ve got no morals. Morals are, well, living with morality. You understand that? That’s what it means. You have fathered a child without the blessing of the church. That’s what our military chaplain says. Without the blessing of the church-that’s his expression not mine.

Back 5

Woyzeck: sir, God isn’t going to care if we didn’t say Amen just before we got down and did it. The Lord said, “Suffer the little children come unto me.”

Front 6

Captain: What do you mean? What a strange thing to say! You’re confusing me.

Back 6

Woyzeck: Being poor. Do you understand, sir? It’s money. If you got no money. . . who thinks of morals when bringing something like me into the world? But we are flesh and blood too. We have no luck in the here and now, or in the hereafter. If we get to heaven, I’d expect they’d put us to work making the thunder.

Front 7

Captain: Woyzeck, you have no concept of virtue. You are not a virtuous man. Flesh and blood. You brought that up. Hmmmm. . .you know, when I’m sitting at my window. . .when it stops raining . . .and I see a pair of white stockings. Legs flashing down the street. Ahhh. Goddamn, woyzeck, I feel desire then too. I’m flesh and blood, too. But my virtue, woyzeck, my virtue. So? What do I do? I say to myself over and over again: youre a virtuous man. You’re a good man. A good man.

Back 7

Yes sir. I don't think virtue's my strong point, sir. See... people like me, we dont have virtue. We only have what's natural. But if I was a gentleman. If I had a nice hat and a watch and a warm coat and knew all the proper words, I could be virtuous. It must be a great thing, sir, virtue. But I'm just a poor man.