A soliloquy (from Latin: "talking by oneself") is a device often used in drama whereby a character speaks to himself or herself, relating his or her thoughts and feelings, thereby also sharing them with the audience. Other characters however are not aware of what is being said.
A soliloquy is distinct from a monologue or an aside: a monologue is a speech where one character addresses other characters; an aside is a (usually short) comment by one character towards the audience.
Soliloquies were frequently used in dramas but went "out of fashion" when drama shifted towards realism in the late 18th and 19th century.
A soliloquy is distinct from a monologue or an aside: a monologue is a speech where one character addresses other characters; an aside is a (usually short) comment by one character towards the audience.
Soliloquies were frequently used in dramas but went "out of fashion" when drama shifted towards realism in the late 18th and 19th century.
