\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/11305-Monologues.html
Drama: April 20, 2022 Issue [#11305]




 This week: Monologues
  Edited by: Lilli 🧿 ☕ Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

When we think of Shakespeare's Hamlet, the title character's famous "To be or not to be" speech may come to mind as a prominent monologue. But this speech is actually a soliloquy; a speech of internal dialogue in which the character (in this case, Hamlet) expresses his inner thoughts to the audience. A monologue involves one character speaking to another.

Monologues, just like these real-world conversations, have the power to share important personal feelings and experiences; enabling the audience to genuinely connect.

A dramatic monologue is a literary form that came of age in the 1830s, thanks to Alfred Tennyson and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, most of all. Some of the greatest examples of the dramatic monologue include a poem spoken by a character (rather than the poet themselves) in a dramatic situation, whereby that character reveals their personality through their speech. There are some brilliant examples of dramatic monologues in English and American literature. Some examples can be found in these great works:

The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
This poem is a dramatic monologue in ballad form. The runaway slave strongly expresses her distress at being reminded of her abuse by caring for a child produced by violence.

Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson
This entire poem is spoken by a single character and is a powerful monologue. As an adventurer, Ulysses focuses on whether he could ever tolerate a simple, traditional home life.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller
This play has many character-defining monologues that it's difficult to select one. But Elizabeth Proctor's speech to her husband, John, about Abigail Williams reveals her true concerns about the girl's claim that Elizabeth is a witch.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Atticus Finch spends much of his time legally defending Tom Robinson in a high-profile court case. His closing argument goes on for several pages.

This week we will take a look at monologues and how to effectively write one.


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B07NPKP5BF
Product Type: Toys & Games
Amazon's Price: Price N/A


Letter from the editor

Writing a monologue doesn’t just require practice but it needs a systematic approach. You can’t just write anything and name it as a monologue and expect your audience to make sense of it. This week we will take an overview of the seven steps needed to write a monologue.

1. Define the Purpose of the Monologue

You don’t have to add a monologue to your story just for the sake of it rather you must have a clear purpose and objective that you wish to achieve with the help of a monologue. Ask yourself: Why, how, and what of the monologue to clearly define its purpose. You can use monologue to reveal a secret. Monologues can express a character’s true emotions or thoughts that are, otherwise, hard to express via dialogues.

You can use monologue for a wide range of purposes such as:
*Bulletr* Emotional release by a character
*Bulletr* Revealing a secret
*Bulletr* Answering questions related to the storyline or character
*Bulletr* Sharing feelings and thoughts of a character
*Bulletr* Communicating with the readers

Ideally, you need to make sure you are using monologue to either let a weak character express his/her views or having one of the main characters speak aloud.

2. Character Profile

Character development is a must. When you decide to write a monologue and you have set its purpose, you know the character already. You now need to set up the complete character profile to ensure the speech is delivered appropriately.

Remember, monologue is different. It has to be powerful, attention-grabbing, and interesting so that audience doesn’t lose interest. You don’t just have to focus on the speech and its words rather the character delivering it must be worked upon too.

Building a character profile that matches the monologue is essential. Here is a list of the major things to consider for profiling:

*Bulletr* Speaking style
*Bulletr* Character’s voice
*Bulletr* Emotions and feelings

Character development and profiling specifically for an effective monologue are essential to keep it natural and meaningful.

3. Identify the Audience

The 'audience' refers to the people your character will be addressing. The audience is the target of your monologue.

For example, if the character is expressing his feelings for another character, decide if the other character must be present or the monologue will be delivered in his/her absence.

These petty details are always in your mind as a writer, but it is essential to write them down so that you can avoid assumptions while writing a monologue. Just because you know the audience of the monologue doesn’t mean readers will know it too.

4. Write a Powerful Beginning

Now is the time to start writing the monologue. A monologue has three distinct parts: Beginning, middle, and end. The beginning of the monologue must be powerful, and intriguing, and it must be attention-grabbing.

The first line sets the stage for a secret and the second line further tells the readers what they must expect from the monologue.

The beginning sets the tone and mood of the monologue so it must be carefully written. The best approach is to write an outline for the entire monologue and then craft a beginning according to the outline.

5. The Middle, Ending, and Editing

*Bulletr* The middle is the crux of the monologue where you have to explain everything by building your case.

*Bulletr* The end of the monologue must be clear, sound, and logical. It needs to give something new to the readers in the shape of a climax or a plot twist.

*Bulletr* Finally, you are all set to refine, proofread, and edit your monologue. Refining your monologue is important because it is a long speech that might make readers bored. Reading it aloud to yourself can help tremendously!

In Conclusion

You are now ready to start writing your own monologue. You know the steps, what to expect, how to make it appealing, and what techniques to use. It is time to get into it practically.

A monologue isn’t much different from any other type of writing. Once you'll have the first monologue ready, you'll see how easy the process is. C'mon, give it a go!!!


Editor's Picks

BOOK
Kiya's Big Book of Writing Guidelines Open in new Window. (E)
For all tips and guidelines to help improve your writing skills.
#1299892 by iKïyå§ama Author IconMail Icon


 Eyes of Mist Open in new Window. (13+)
Ayala never had any doubts that the Shakaree were evil. But then she met one of them.
#1958193 by ForgottenDreams Author IconMail Icon


STATIC
The Flight Of The Ashes Open in new Window. (13+)
A young woman tries to come to terms with her past
#600812 by Tiggy Author IconMail Icon


 
STATIC
How To Make Your Writing Stand Out Open in new Window. (E)
The use of voice, diction and figures of speech in fiction writing.
#1901144 by A E Willcox Author IconMail Icon


STATIC
The Art of Reviewing Poetry Open in new Window. (E)
A guide to writing constructive in-depth reviews.
#1940007 by Dave Author IconMail Icon

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!



Ask & Answer

Comments received for "Drama Newsletter (February 23, 2022)Open in new Window.:

From N.A Miller Author IconMail Icon
Make sure you include Phonetic Punctuation!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFzMWml_X5o (Victor Borge)
Hilarious bit that could be fun for writing.
N.A Miller


Thanks for the link! That was funny.

From W.D.Wilcox Author IconMail Icon
"Dash it all!"

Indeed!

*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: B01CJ2TNQI
Amazon's Price: $ 5.99

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/11305-Monologues.html