Soliloquy, Aside, and
Monologue
Shakespeare’s characters often deliver
these types of dramatic speeches.
What is a Soliloquy?
• A soliloquy is a lengthy
speech in which a
character – usually
alone on stage –
expresses his or her
thoughts to the
audience.
What is an Aside?
• An aside is a brief remark by a character
revealing his thoughts or feelings to the
audience, unheard by the other characters.
What is a Monologue?
• A monologue, like a soliloquy, is a lengthy
speech. However a monologue is addressed
to other characters on stage, not to the
audience.
Pun
A play on words that sound alike but have
different meanings.
Ex: Did you hear about the sleeping man
who got run over by a car? He was tired
and exhausted!
Oxymoron
Two juxtaposed words that mean opposite
things.
Ex: sweet sorrow
“damned saint”
“honorable villain”
“fiend angelical”
“Dove-feathered raven”
jumbo shrimp
Dramatic Irony
• The audience knows
something the characters
do not know.
• Ex: We know the killer is
in the closet, but the
soon-to-be victim does
not.
Make Shakesphere proud.
Be sure you can tell the difference
between a Soliloquy, an Aside, and a
Monologue.