Soliloquy vs Monologue: Meaning, Examples, Differences, Similarities

Soliloquy and Monologue are two literary terms people often misuse without having a clear understanding on what they are. Soliloquy vs Monologue.

Soliloquy vs Monologue

Soliloquy and Monologue are two literary terms people often misuse without having a clear understanding on what they are, how they are used and a distinct clarification on each term in literature.

For more exposition on each term, this article will consider the following under soliloquy vs monologue:

• Meaning Of Soliloquy and Monologue
• The Difference Between  and Monologue
• The Similarities Between Soliloquy and Monologue
• Examples on Soliloquy vs. Monologue
• Conclusion

Also Read: Literary Appreciation: Definition, Examples etc.

Meaning Of Soliloquy vs Monologue

Soliloquy Definition — Soliloquy is a word derived from the Latin words, 'Solus" and "Loqui" which means Alone and To Speak respectively. Soliloquy is a speech made by a character while speaking his thoughts aloud while alone or while other characters cannot hear. Such theatrical performance is made only for the audience to understand the thoughts of the character giving the speech and not the other characters on stage.

Such speech are not actually spoken out by the character in real sense, it's a means of allowing the audience to have a fragment of the character's thoughts on deliberation.

One of the famous Soliloquy of all time is William Shakespeare's Hamlet. In the scene, a soliloquy was delivered by Hamlet while speaking to a human skull in the absence of all other characters.

Monologue Definition — Monologue is a long speech delivered by a character while other characters are on stage. It can also be regarded as a speech made by a person for a long period of time during a conversation.

Also Read: Who Is A Literary Agent?

What Is Dramatic Monologue

A dramatic monologue is a poem written in the form of a speech of an individual character. It compresses into a single vivid scene a narrative sense of the speaker's history and psychological insight into his character.

Soliloquy Purpose

The following are the purposes of soliloquy. They can show clarity as to their usages and importance in dramatic works.

1. To show a character’s inner thoughts: 

Soliloquy allows the audience to have a deeper understanding about the character's thoughts and feelings. It allows the audience to have more connection with the character due to the fact that what the character is soliloquizing cannot be heard by other characters.

2. For plot advancement:

Aside sharing the character's thoughts with the audience, it also advances the plot of the story. They can be used to convey exclusive information that are quite important to the development of the story and to build suspense.

 

3. A break from dialogue: 

Since soliloquy is usually from a single character, it is used to display the beauty of lyrics in theater. It gives the audience a new focus far from the usual dialogue between two or more persons without any distraction.

Soliloquy vs Monologue: The Difference

The only stark differences between soliloquy and monologue is the intended receiver of the speech(listener) and purpose it was delivered.

 Basically, while both soliloquy and monologue are both speech made for an extended period of time, they are made to be received by different set of people.

While monologue is a speech delivered in the presence of other characters and to be heard by other characters, soliloquy on the hand, is a speech delivered in the absence of other characters and it's directed purposely to the audience, not intended to be heard by the other characters on stage.

Similarities Between Soliloquy and Monologue

The only similarity between soliloquy and monologue is that they are both long speech delivered by a character

Examples: Soliloquy vs. Monologue

Here are some examples on both soliloquy and monologue to help you to clearly distinct between the literary terms.

Example Of Soliloquy

The most well-known soliloquy in the English language appears in Act III, Scene 1 of Hamlet:

To be, or not to be, — that is the question: —

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them? (etc.)

Example Of Monologue

One of the notable monologue is the speech delivered by Marc Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar.

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones:

So let it be with Caesar. (etc.)"

How Do you Use Soliloquy In A Sentence

Below is an example of how soliloquy is used in a sentence:

“I start doing one soliloquy and I say something from another soliloquy,” he said, also noting that working on making sure he gets everything correct and in the proper place “is going well.” (The Prescott Valley Tribune)

Conclusion

Monologue and Soliloquy are two types of speech that occur in a play, hence, the reason to clearly distinct between the two. With the discussion on their similarity and difference, you should be able to easily recognize them and at the same time make use of them in a play.