Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.

com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Glossary Home Poetic Forms

Dramatic Monologue
A dramatic monologue is a conversation a speaker has with
themselves, or which is directed at a listen or reader who does not
respond.

1 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Only the words and thoughts of the speaker are relayed. This means that the other
side of the conversation, if there is one, is left up to the reader’s imagination.

In poetry, a dramatic monologue is often a speech given dramatically. These are seen
throughout the history of poetry, as well as in drama. William Shakespeare’s plays
have some of the best English language examples of dramatic monologues.

Dramatic Monologue Pronunciation: Druh-mah-tick Maw-no-log

2 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Explore Dramatic Monologue

1 Definition and Explanation of Dramatic Monologue

2 Dramatic Monologues in Film and Television

3 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

3 Why Do Writers Use Dramatic Monologues?

4 Dramatic Female Monologues

5 Dramatic Male Monologues

6 Examples of Dramatic Monologues in Plays

7 Dramatic Monologue Synonyms

8 Related Literary Terms

9 Other Resources

Definition and Explanation of Dramatic

Monologue
A dramatic monologue is used to vent a speaker’s thoughts. It gives the speaker a
chance to get their own experience across without the thoughts or words of someone
else interfering. ‘Mrs. Midas’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a great example of this. The only
obstacle the speaker has to confront is their own perception of events. These
speeches often reveal to the reader something important about the character

4 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

speeches often reveal to the reader something important about the character
speaking.

Dramatic Monologues in Film and Television

Not to be overlooked are dramatic monologues in film and television. Some of the
best and most memorable are created in this format. Some great examples of Lt
Kaffe’s speech in A Few Good Men that begins with the line “You can’t handle the
truth!” this speech, like others, is filled with emotion and power. Others are Captain
Miller’s monologue about Ryan, saving and taking lives in Saving Private Ryan, and
Red’s speech in The Shawshank Redemption. The latter begins with the lines “Get busy
livin’ or get busy dyin’. That’s goddamn right. For the second time in my life, I’m
guilty of committing a crime” and ends with ” I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has
been in my dreams. I hope”.

Why Do Writers Use Dramatic Monologues?

Dramatic monologues are key parts of some poems and many plays. They are often

5 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

the best-remembered sections of dramatic moments and are opportunities for the
writer to express, without interruption, the thoughts of a specific character.
Monologues, such as those seen in the above examples, often contain hints about
the major themes of a work of literature as well. Close readers can find out a lot
about the character, the broader literary work, and even the playwright or poet
through the monologues they write.

Dramatic Female Monologues

Example #1 Mrs. Midas by Carol Ann Duffy
This poem is a dramatic monologue spoken from the perspective of the mythological
King Midas’ wife. It details the aftermath of his granted wish. The poem describes,
from the wife’s viewpoint, what it was like after Midas found out everything he
touched turned to gold. Take a look at these lines from the first stanza of the poem:

“ It was late September. I’d just poured a glass of wine, begun

to unwind, while the vegetables cooked. The kitchen

filled with the smell of itself, relaxed, its steamy breath

6 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

gently blanching the windows. So I opened one,

then with my fingers wiped the other’s glass like a brow.

He was standing under the pear tree snapping a twig.

These lines are narrative, describing events as they happened. They are not full of
poetic language, rather, the tone is language is straightforward and clear. The
speaker is relaying events to the reader how she experienced them without her
husband’s emotional influence.

Example #2 The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point by

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

This example is not the most famous on the list, but it is a wonderful example of a
dramatic female monologue. It is one of many poems that Browning wrote in order
to address social issues. It is an indictment of American society and the treatment of
slaves, throughout history, but specifically in the 1800s. Browning wrote it in order to
raise funds for abolitionism. Here are a few lines from the poem:

7 of 30 “ 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

“ I stand on the mark beside the shore

Of the first white pilgrim’s bended knee,

Where exile turned to ancestor,

And God was thanked for liberty.

I have run through the night, my skin is dark,

I bend my knee down on this mark:

I look on the sky and the sea.

The lines are written from the perspective of a black slave who is contemplating their
life and how they came to be in the situation they are in.

Dramatic Male Monologues

Example #1 Tithonus by Alfred Lord Tennyson
‘Tithonus’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson is written in the form of a dramatic monologue in
which only one speaker is used to tell an entire story. The poem describes the plight
of Tithonus who is cursed to an immortal life in which he continues to age but never
dies. He mourns this fact but takes the time to tell his whole story and how this curse

8 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

befell him in the guise of a blessing. Take a look at these lines from the first stanza:

“ The woods decay, the woods decay and fall,

The vapours weep their burthen to the ground,

Man comes and tills the field and lies beneath,

And after many a summer dies the swan.

Here, he is introducing the narrative. It is in the first person, but the focus, in this case,
is on the details. Tennyson allows his speaker to set the scene, preparing the reader
for what comes next. In these next lines he describes the curse:

“ I ask’d thee, ‘Give me immortality.’

Then didst thou grant mine asking with a smile,

Like wealthy men, who care not how they give.

But thy strong Hours indignant work’d their wills,

And beat me down and marr’d and wasted me,

His own emotional experience is very clearly described here. He is relaying what these

9 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

moments were like for him and him alone.

Example #2 Andrea del Sarto by Robert Browning

This poem was published in the collection, Men and Women. It is written in the form
of a dramatic monologue told from the perspective of the Italian Renaissance painter,
Andrea del Sarto. The speaker then spends the majority of the poem discussing how
his skill level compares to the work of other artists. By the end of the poem, he
concludes that although his life has not been what he wanted he knows that he
cannot change it. Take a look at these lines from the beginning of the text:

“ But do not let us quarrel any more,

No, my Lucrezia; bear with me for once:

Sit down and all shall happen as you wish.

You turn your face, but does it bring your heart?

I’ll work then for your friend’s friend, never fear,

Treat his own subject after his own way,

10 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Fix his own time, accept too his own price,

This section of the poem is a perfect example of a dramatic monologue as it contains

one side of a conversation. The other side is left to the reader’s imagination. They
have to use context clues to understand what has been said.

Examples of Dramatic Monologues in Plays

Example #1 Hamlet by William Shakespeare

As stated above, some of the best dramatic monologues come from plays. One of the
best is found in Hamlet. Take a look at these lines from Act V Scene I:

“ Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow

of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at
it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know
not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your

11 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,

that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one
now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen?
Now get you to my lady’s chamber, and tell her, let
her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must
come; make her laugh at that.

Hamlet speaks these lines while holding the iconic skull and after a period of
indecision after finding out that his uncle murdered his father. Hamlet and Horatio
are walking in a cemetery and he picks up a skull that gravediggers have unearthed.

Example #2 As You Like It by William Shakespeare

It’s very likely that any reader, whether they’re a fan of Shakespeare or not, will
recognize the first lines from this monologue from Act II Scene 7 of As You Like It.

“ All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,

12 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.

The monologue goes on for a number of lines after this. In this passage, Shakespeare
is having his speaker, Jaques, express the belief that every phase of life is part of a
larger drama. It is a play acted out on stage. This is not the first or last time that
Shakespeare uses theatre-related imagery in order to speak on broader themes
within his work.

Dramatic Monologue Synonyms

Some words that readers might find associated with “dramatic monologue” are
speech, oration, lecture, sermon, and address.

Related Literary Terms

Aside— a dramatic device that is used within plays to help characters express
13 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

• Aside— a dramatic device that is used within plays to help characters express
their inner thoughts.
• Soliloquy— a dramatic literary device that is used when a character gives a
speech that reveals something about their thought process.
• Point of View— is what the speaker, narrator, or character can see from their
perspective. This can change dramatically depending on the character.

Other Resources
• Watch: What is a dramatic monologue?
• Watch: The Greatest Acting Monologues of All Time
• Read: As You Like It by William Shakespeare
• Read: Popular Monologues

Discover the Essential Secrets

of Poetry
Your Email Address

14 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
 Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Sign Me Up

Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry,

Home » Poetic Forms » Dramatic
brought to you by theMonologue
experts

Discover 758 more terms like this

Rhyme Scheme Dime Novel Satire/Satirica

n allusion The rhyme scheme is the A dime novel is a form of Comedy
egendary pattern of rhyme that’s short, cheap fiction Satire and satirical
name is used in a poem. It popular during the 19th comedy are used t
e other ← corresponds with the end and early 20th centuries analyze→
behaviors t
ht be an sounds that feature in in the United States. make fun of, criticize
lines of verse. chastise them in a
humorous way.

• • • • • • • •

15 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Discover the
Secrets to Poetry

Learn from the experts

Discover the best-kept secrets
behind the greatest poetry

Enter Email Address

Discover the Secrets

16 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Term of the Day

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
than are dreamt of in your philosophy
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your
philosophy” is an enigmatic quote that appears in the first Act of Hamlet. It is spoken
by the title character: Hamlet.
Full Description | Glossary

17 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

18 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

19 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

20 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

21 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

22 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

23 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

24 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

25 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

26 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

27 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

28 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Thank you for your support

It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to
charity. Every single person that visits Poem Analysis has helped contribute, so
thank you for your support. Please continue to help us support the fight
against dementia with Alzheimer's Research Charity.

Learn more

Discover the
Secrets to Poetry
Learn from the experts
Discover the best-kept secrets
behind the greatest poetry

Enter Email Address

Discover the Secrets

Connect with us

Facebook Instagram

Twitter YouTube

General:

29 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM
Dramatic Monologue - Definition and Examples - Poem Analysis https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/dramatic-monologue/

Contact us

Submit a request for poetry analysis

About Poem Analysis

Poetry related:

A-Z Poet Directory List

Poems covered in the Educational Syllabus

Explore the Best Poems

Explore the Best Poets

Glossary of Literary Terms

Poem Solutions Limited

International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,
London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom

support@poemanalysis.com

Poem Analysis Copyright © 2022. Careers. Privacy Policy. SiteWhale.

AN ELITE CAFEMEDIA PUBLISHER

30 of 30 10-Mar-22, 11:14 AM