Dramatic monologue is a lyric poem wherein a single character speaks, often in a specific situation, either directly to the reader or to a listener. Such poem is dramatic since it features theatrical qualities. However, a dramatic monologue is different from a drama in many ways. Firstly, in a drama, characters develop through outward action and conflict, whereas in a dramatic monologue, the development occurs through the clash of motives within the speaker. Secondly, unlike a drama the character’s speech is delivered in monologue rather than dialogue since a single speaker speaks alone while the listener remains silent. However, a monologue should not be confused with a soliloquy. The former is different from the latter in the sense that in a monologue the speaker reveals his thoughts and feelings to the reader, or to any other character; whereas in a soliloquy, the speaker expresses his thoughts to himself.
The salient features of a dramatic monologue are as under:
The salient features of a dramatic monologue are as under:
- The poem begins abruptly to catch the reader’s attention.
- A single speaker talks to a silent listener.
- The speaker is not the poet himself rather a persona created by the poet.
- Psychological analysis and clues to suggest the reader about the mode and temperament of the silent listener.
- The presence of the listener is ascertained only through the poet’s words.
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