What is soliloquy?

You’ve probably heard the term "soliloquy" in your English class, but perhaps you don’t really understand what your teacher means by it. In this section I hope to explain the term to you and to give you a few tips on interpreting them.

By now, you’ve probably figured out that a soliloquy is a LONG SPEECH delivered by a single character, usually when he or she is alone on stage. Because no one else is there to interrupt or ask questions, a single character delivering such a long speech CAN be a deadly dull experience. That is the great challenge to an actor: to pull it off and to keep the audience’s attention.

Because soliloquies are risky dramatically and difficult for the actor, Shakespeare chooses his moments for soliloquies carefully: the character usually has to make an important decision, and we get to "see" him or her work through all the factors surrounding that decision: we see and hear them think out loud.

SO THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF ABOUT A SOLILOQUY IS: WHAT IS THE CHARACTER DECIDING?

Often the character is so obsessed with his subject, his decision is the first thing out of his mouth…but sometimes the real decision comes later, so pay attention!

Soliloquies ALWAYS reveal the psychological state of the character speaking them. Often, the character is upset, disturbed mentally, or at odds with himself, and will take up the various "sides" of an argument—one at a time—to make a decision.

THE NEXT QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF: WHAT IS THE CHARACTER’S MENTAL STATE LIKE? WHAT ARE THE SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT?

Often as part of the deliberations, the or she will weigh the consequences of this act or that one.

All in all, then, when we hear a soliloquy, we witness a DELIBERATED MORAL CHOICE, often a turning point in the plot, nearly always a turning point for the character who delivers it. Given that definition, it should be no surprise to us that HAMLET has 8 soliloquies, the most of any Shakespeare play.

YOUR FINAL QUESTION SHOULD BE: WHAT TURNING POINT IN THE PLOT DOES THIS SPEECH AFFECT? HOW IS THE SPEECH A TURNING POINT FOR THIS CHARACTER?

Let’s now use this series of questions to look at a short Shakespearean soliloquy, taken from HAMLET. The setting: Hamlet finally knows that his uncle Claudius murdered his father, and has resolved to kill him. At this point, Hamlet comes upon Claudius while he is praying for God’s forgiveness. He draws his sword and says:

HAMLET

Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;

And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven;

And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd:

A villain kills my father; and for that,

I, his sole son, do this same villain send

To heaven.

O, this is hire and salary, not revenge.

He took my father grossly, full of bread;

With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;

And how his audit stands who knows save heaven?

But in our circumstance and course of thought,

'Tis heavy with him: and am I then revenged,

To take him in the purging of his soul,

When he is fit and season'd for his passage?

No!

Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent:

When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,

Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed;

At gaming, swearing, or about some act

That has no relish of salvation in't;

Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,

And that his soul may be as damn'd and black

As hell, whereto it goes.

Q1: What is Hamlet deciding?

In this case, it’s obvious: whether to kill his uncle now or later.

Q2: What is Hamlet’s mental state like?

Hamlet is obviously angry and, after all his earlier doubts and hesitation, he is now eager to ACT—to revenge his father.

What are the sides to his argument?

If Hamlet kills his uncle now, Claudius dies, but because he is praying, he will go to heaven. If Hamlet waits until the uncle is "sinning," it is more likely he will go straight to hell, where Hamlet thinks he deserves to go.

Q3: What turning point in the plot does this speech affect?

His delay in killing Claudius causes him to be all to ready to "pounce" on any other opportunities, which unfortunately leads him to kill Polonius by accident. That sets up Hamlet’s banishment, Ophelia’s death, and the swordfight with Laertes in the final act.

In what ways is this a turning point for Hamlet?

Up to this point we have seen Hamlet as a man of words and thoughts, his actions paralyzed by doubts. This is the first time we see the "new" Hamlet: fearing nothing, sword in hand, ready to act. His thoughts keep him from acting too rashly, perhaps, but keep him from acting one last time. It will be the final time, for from now on Hamlet takes decisive action: with Rosencranz & Guildenstern, with Laertes, with Claudius.