Published: July 9, 2024 | Last Updated: December 4, 2024
soliloquy Definition & Meaning
A soliloquy is a literary device in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, usually when alone on stage. It provides insight into the character’s thoughts, motivations, and emotions. Soliloquies are commonly used in plays, poetry, and literature to reveal a character’s internal conflicts, dilemmas, and reflections to the audience. Soliloquies can be found in films, though they are less common than in stage plays. In movies, they often appear as voice-overs or when a character breaks the fourth wall of the diegesis.
Famous Soliloquy from Plays
Before we discuss examples from movies, I want to include a couple of soliloquies from famous plays so you can understand what I’m talking about. Notice that these have been adapted into several movies.
Hamlet (1603), by William Shakespeare
We can’t mention soliloquy without mentioning William Shakespeare. From Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare was a master of soliloquy.
The most famous example of a soliloquy is Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” speech from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Here’s an excerpt:
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. To die—to sleep,
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
– Hamlet
In this soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates the nature of existence and whether it is better to live and suffer or to end one’s life and face the unknown after death.
Les Misérables (1862) by Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo’s classic novel about Jean Valjean, imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread, follows his life of compassion and contribution after his release.
It’s been adapted several times into movies, plays, musicals, and more. It’s the musical version I want to emphasize here because it features the awesome “what have I done” soliloquy – the fourth and final song in the Prologue. Here’s an excerpt:
What have I done?
– Valjean
Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Become a thief in the night,
Become a dog on the run.
And have I fallen so far
And is the hour so late,
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate?
The cries in the dark that nobody hears.
Here where I stand at the turning of the years?
How Soliloquies Appear in Movies
As I mentioned in the introduction, soliloquies are most common in plays. The silver screen is a different beast, so soliloquies are adapted to the medium.
Here are a few ways soliloquies appear in film:
Monologue
Sometimes, soliloquies manifest as monologues either internally or more explicitly.
Here’s a famous example you probably know by heart:
In Taxi Driver (1976), the protagonist, Travis Bickle, does this famous soliloquy that shows his descent into madness. Besides, the movie has several voiceover monologues that provide insight into his increasingly disturbed mind.
You might like 1-minute monologues for auditions.
Voiceover Narration
A character’s thoughts are sometimes conveyed through voiceover, providing insight into their internal state while showing related visuals. This technique is frequently used in film noir and other genres.
Here’s an example from American Psycho (2000), where the protagonist, Patrick Bateman, frequently provides voiceover narration that reveals his inner thoughts and sociopathic tendencies.
Direct Address
Occasionally, characters break the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience, effectively delivering a soliloquy. This method is often seen in comedies and some dramas.
A good example is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), where Ferris often breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the camera, sharing his thoughts and plans with the audience.
Visual Soliloquy
Instead of spoken words, a character’s inner thoughts and emotions are conveyed through visual imagery, body language, and facial expressions, sometimes accompanied by music or sound effects.
Here’s an example from Sherlock Holmes (2009), where Holmes tries to deduct Blackwood’s scheme under the influence of drugs. It’s a montage of flashbacks, voice-overs, and more that all show the inner turmoil of his mind.
Sherlock Holmes is generally an interesting character when discussing soliloquy in film. Because, how do you convey the deduction process visually within the genius detective’s mind?
The Sherlock TV series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman sometimes does this via CGI, where letters, numbers, and other motion graphics show how Sherlock is thinking.
The Difference Between a Soliloquy and a Monologue
A soliloquy and a monologue are both extended speeches by a single character, but they have distinct differences based on their context and purpose in drama and literature.
The biggest difference is that the characters speak to themselves or the audience in a soliloquy but not to other characters. In contrast, in a monologue, the character speaks to other characters, the audience, or both.
Also, the soliloquy is primarily used to reveal inner thoughts and feelings, whereas a monologue can serve multiple purposes, including advancing the plot, exposition, or character revelation.
Finally, a soliloquy typically occurs when the character is alone on stage or isolated from other characters. In contrast, a monologue can occur in various settings and situations, often in the presence of other characters.
Summing Up
A soliloquy is a literary device often used in drama, in which characters speak to themselves, expressing their inner thoughts and feelings aloud.
Soliloquies are usually delivered while the character is alone on stage or believes they are alone, and it is not intended to be heard by other characters in the play.
In film, they are adapted to the medium and can use other visual or auditory effects. However, their purpose remains: to provide insight into a character’s motivations, thoughts, and emotions and allow playwrights to convey complex internal conflicts and developments to the audience.
Up Next: Famous Monologues from Film
