Ruth monologue (Act 3) — Beyond the Horizon

What do you think--living with a man like you--having to suffer all the time because you’ve never been man enough to work and do things like other people. But no! You never own up to that. You think you’re so much better than other folks, with your college education, where you never learned a thing, and always reading your stupid books instead of working. I s’pose you think I ought to be _proud_ to be your wife--a poor, ignorant thing like me! (_Fiercely_) But I’m not. I hate it! I hate the sight of you. Oh, if I’d only known! If I hadn’t been such a fool to listen to your cheap, silly, poetry talk that you learned out of books! If I could have seen how you were in your true self--like you are now--I’d have killed myself before I’d have married you! I was sorry for it before we’d been together a month. I knew what you were really like--when it was too late.