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In theatre, the use of speech by actors is crucial in conveying character, plot, and emotions to the audience. • There are several types of speeches that are commonly used in theatre, including monologues, soliloquies, and asides. • While these terms are often used interchangeably, they each have distinct differences that set them apart.
Monologue vs. Soliloquy • A monologue is a speech delivered by a character to another character or to the audience. It can be a long, uninterrupted speech or a series of shorter speeches that are all related to the same topic. • A monologue is usually used to reveal something about the character’s thoughts, feelings, or motivations.
Monologue vs. Soliloquy • On the other hand, a soliloquy is a type of monologue that is delivered by a character who is alone on stage. • It is a speech that is intended to reveal the character’s innermost thoughts and feelings, as if the character is speaking to themselves. • Unlike a regular monologue, a soliloquy is not intended to be heard by other characters on stage.
Is a Soliloquy a Monologue? • While a soliloquy is a type of monologue, not all monologues are soliloquies. As mentioned earlier, a monologue can be delivered to another character or to the audience. • A soliloquy, on the other hand, is a monologue that is delivered by a character who is alone on stage.
Soliloquy vs. Monologue vs. Aside • An aside is a type of speech in which a character speaks directly to the audience, but is not intended to be heard by other characters on stage. • Unlike a soliloquy, an aside is usually a short speech that is used to reveal something about the character’s thoughts, feelings, or motivations. • It is often used for comedic effect, as a way for the character to share a joke or a witty remark with the audience.
Soliloquy vs. Monologue vs. Aside • The key difference is who the speech is intended for. In a monologue, the character is speaking to another character or to the audience. • In a soliloquy, the character is speaking to themselves, and in an aside, the character is speaking directly to the audience, but not to other characters on stage.
Examples of Dramatic Irony: • 1. Girl in a horror film hides in a closet where the killer just went (the audience knows the killer is there, but she does not). • 2. In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows that Juliet is only asleep-not dead-but Romeo does not, and he kills himself. • 3. In Macbeth, King Duncan says that he trusts Macbeth ("he was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust), but the audience knows that Macbeth is plotting to kill Duncan. • 4. The Greek myth of Oedipus, as told in Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex, is full of dramatic irony. King Oedipus wants to expose the killer of the former king, Laius. The audience knows that Oedipus is the killer, but Oedipus does not realize that he killed the king. • 5. In Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, we know that the old woman bringing the apple is the wicked queen who wants to kill Snow White, but she does not. She purchases the apple, takes a bite, and falls. • 6. Another Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast, has examples of dramatic irony. The audience knows from the beginning of the movie that the beast is a prince, but Belle does not.
Dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet • In William Shakespeare’s famous play, the audience knows that Juliet is asleep but at the same time, her suitor Romeo believes her to be dead. • This sets off a chain of events that results in the leading characters to end their lives. • Only the audience knows of their actual plans, which makes for a genuinely agonizing story (and irony example) to experience as it comes to its tragic end.
Dramatic irony in MacBeth • In another classic Shakespeare play, the audience knows MacBeth plots to kill King Duncan. • But King Duncan is oblivious to MacBeth’s plans as he devotes his loyalty to MacBeth, saying, “He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.” • MacBeth, destined to be king as prophesied by the witches, must kill King Duncan — putting the audience in a precarious state, wondering how King Duncan will meet his demise.
Dramatic irony in Othello • Shakespeare creates a classic play where the titled character Othello is led to believe by Iago that his wife has cheated on him. • Unbeknownst to Othello, the audience knows that Iago is plotting to kill him. • Othello’s trust in this traitor creates a nail-biting drama that ultimately has Othello taking his own life.
Dramatic irony in Oedipus Rex • In this Greek tragedy by Sophocles, Oedipus (or King Oedipus/Oedipus the King), the main character, is the murderer he seeks. • The audience, aware that Oedipus is the killer of King Laius, is then taken on a journey that leads Oedipus back to himself and his ultimate demise. • The story follows the ironic musings of Oedipus, thinking at one point that the murderer of King Laius might also kill him.
Soliloquy examples • Faustus’ final soliloquy in Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe, where he regrets his bargain with the devil and fears his impending doom. • Tom’s soliloquy in The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, where he explains his reasons for leaving his family and his guilt for doing so. • Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech in Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, where he contemplates suicide and the meaning of life. • Iago’s soliloquy in Othello, by William Shakespeare, where he reveals his plan to ruin Othello’s marriage and reputation. • Macbeth’s “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” speech in Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, where he expresses his despair and nihilism after his wife’s death.
Examples for Aside • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (1597): William Shakespeare often used asides in many of his plays. Juliet uses one in particular to reveal her true grief for Romeo rather than her own cousin Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. In another moment, Romeo has his own aside where he debates whether he should interrupt Juliet’s soliloquy already taking place. • Hamlet by William Shakespeare (1599): When we meet Hamlet’s villainous uncle Claudius in the play Hamlet, the protagonist quickly reveals his feelings for his relative in the middle of a line of dialogue, calling him “a little more than kin, and less than kind.” • Othello by William Shakespeare (1603): In Shakespeare’s Othello, the villainous Iago has many asides where he reveals the true intentions of his actions and scheming. While some are soliloquies, others are much shorter and give a quick glimpse into this antagonist’s underlying motivations.
Conclusion • In theatre, the use of speech is an essential tool for conveying character, plot, and emotions to the audience. • Monologues, soliloquies, and asides are all types of speeches that are commonly used in theatre. • While these terms are often used interchangeably, they each have distinct differences that set them apart. • By understanding the differences between these three types of speeches, audiences can better appreciate the nuances of a performance and gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations.
