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Storgy

Poetic Device · Reference

Soliloquy

A move poets keep coming back to.

What is soliloquy?

What does it mean when a poem feels like someone is thinking out loud, alone, without anyone else around? That’s soliloquy in action.

Definition

The term comes from the Latin words solus (alone) and loqui (to speak). In poetry, a soliloquy is a part of the poem — sometimes it can even be the whole thing — where a speaker shares their inner thoughts directly, as if no one is listening. The speaker isn’t talking to a lover, a god, or the reader; they are sorting through their thoughts for themselves, in real time, on the page.

Most people recognize the term from theater: Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" is the quintessential example. But poets utilize this technique as well. A lyric poem can immerse you in a mind that’s wrestling with a problem, debating with itself, or coming to a conclusion without ever acknowledging your presence as a reader.

The result is a sense of intimacy without the need for performance. Since the speaker appears oblivious to an audience, the reader feels like an eavesdropper instead of a guest. This creates a unique kind of trust. You’re not being instructed on what to think; you’re overhearing someone’s thought process. The speaker’s contradictions, doubts, and changes of heart seem raw and unedited, making the emotional stakes feel genuine.

Poets turn to soliloquy when they want to portray a mind in motion — not one that has already settled on a conclusion and is simply recounting it, but one that is still in the midst of its journey, still unsure, still vibrant.

Examples of Soliloquy in poetry

From the corpus · I to II.
  1. I.from the corpus

    I cannot rest from travel; I will drink Life to the lees. All times I have enjoyed Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those That loved me, and alone

    Why this works

    Tennyson's Ulysses expresses his restlessness as he contemplates his next steps. The line 'I cannot rest' feels less like a boast and more like an honest self-diagnosis. The repetition of 'greatly... greatly' and the contrast between companionship and solitude show a speaker grappling with his own experiences without polishing them for an audience. The reader catches a glimpse of a life being evaluated, rather than a speech being given.

    from Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
  2. II.from the corpus

    Do I dare And do I dare? Time to turn back and descend the stair, With a bald spot in the middle of my hair

    Why this works

    Eliot's Prufrock is a compact version of the modern soliloquy. The recurring question "Do I dare" isn't directed at anyone; it's a mind hesitating, looping, and losing courage. The abrupt shift to the trivial detail of a bald spot perfectly captures how private thoughts operate: significant anxiety crumbles into minor self-consciousness. Since Prufrock appears truly oblivious to being watched, his vulnerability comes off as human rather than pitiable. The reader stands as a witness, not a recipient.

    from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot

Reader’s guide

How to spot soliloquy

A soliloquy in a poem usually makes itself known through various signals. Not every signal has to be present, but the more you recognize, the more assurance you can have.

  1. First-person singular, inward focus. The speaker frequently uses "I," focusing on their own thoughts rather than performing for an audience. Their attention remains inward rather than outward.
  2. No stable addressee. Unlike an apostrophe or a dramatic monologue directed at someone, a soliloquy lacks a clear listener. If you find yourself answering "who is the speaker talking to?" with "themselves," that's a strong indicator.
  3. Real-time reasoning or deliberation. The speaker is figuring things out as the poem unfolds. You’ll notice questions, changes of mind, self-corrections, or lingering tensions instead of a neatly wrapped argument.
  4. Contradictions left standing. A speaker who addresses an audience typically smooths over inconsistencies. In contrast, a soliloquizing speaker allows them to remain.
  5. Dramatic context of isolation. The poem may explicitly set the scene (like a character alone at night, facing a decision) or imply it through the lack of social interaction.
  6. Shifts in register or tone mid-poem. Private thoughts can be fast and uneven, so a soliloquy often jumps between the grand and the trivial, the abstract and the sensory.

Writer’s guide

How to write with soliloquy

Writing a convincing soliloquy requires resisting the temptation to tidy up your speaker's thoughts. Here are three practical strategies to consider.

  1. Start in the middle of a thought, not at the beginning of an argument. Immerse the reader in a mind that's already active, without any preamble. Example: "And still I keep returning to the window, though I told myself an hour ago I wouldn't."
  1. Allow the speaker to contradict themselves without finding a resolution. Genuine private thoughts often change direction. Include a moment where your speaker states something and then subtly takes it back. Example: "I have made my peace with it — or I have told myself I have, which is close enough, which is nothing like enough."
  1. Shift from the grand to the mundane. Profound inner turmoil is frequently interrupted by something trivial. Embrace that interruption; it adds a human touch and makes the speaker feel authentic. Example: "I was reflecting on mortality, on the weight of it all, when I noticed the faucet was dripping again."

Poems that turn on soliloquy

From the public-domain corpus

FAQ

Questions about soliloquy

What is the difference between a soliloquy and a dramatic monologue?

A dramatic monologue includes an implied listener—the person the speaker is addressing, even if that individual doesn't respond. Robert Browning's 'My Last Duchess' is an example of a dramatic monologue because the Duke is directly speaking to an envoy. In contrast, a soliloquy lacks this listener. Here, the speaker is solely engaged with their own thoughts, allowing the reader to overhear rather than participate in the speech. The crucial question is: is the speaker performing for someone, or simply reflecting on their own thoughts?

Is a soliloquy the same as an interior monologue?

They overlap a lot, and many critics treat the terms as if they mean the same thing. If there's a distinction worth noting, it's this: interior monologue (a term that's more often found in prose fiction) usually suggests a raw stream of consciousness, while soliloquy implies a bit more structure and purpose — a speaker who's thinking, but with some dramatic progression. In practice, a poem that feels like unfiltered thought can be reasonably labeled as either.

Can a whole poem be a soliloquy, or is it just a passage within a longer work?

Both. In drama, a soliloquy refers to a segment in a larger play. In poetry, however, a complete lyric poem can function as a soliloquy if the speaker remains engaged in their thoughts from start to finish. Tennyson's 'Ulysses' and Eliot's 'Prufrock' serve as examples of full-poem soliloquies. This form isn't restricted to just a part of something larger.

Does a soliloquy have to be in a specific form or meter?

No. Soliloquy is a way of speaking, not a strict structure. It can be found in blank verse (like in Shakespeare), free verse, sonnets, or any other format. What makes a soliloquy distinct is how the speaker relates to their audience — or more accurately, the lack of that relationship — rather than the arrangement of the lines on the page.

How is soliloquy different from apostrophe?

Apostrophe occurs when a speaker directly addresses something or someone that can't respond, like a deceased person, an abstract concept, or an object. The speaker is still addressing something outside of themselves. In contrast, a soliloquy involves the speaker reflecting internally, without addressing anything external. For example, if a poem states, 'O Death, where is thy sting?' that represents apostrophe. However, if it says, 'I keep wondering what death actually feels like,' that's more akin to a soliloquy.

Is 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' really a soliloquy if it opens with 'Let us go then, you and I'?

This is a really good question that critics often discuss. The 'you' in that opening line is generally seen as a reflection of Prufrock's divided self instead of a true second person — turning the entire poem into an internal dialogue, which still counts as a type of soliloquy. The 'you' never responds, never takes action, and never challenges him. By the time Prufrock asks 'Do I dare?', it’s clear he is alone with his thoughts. The opening address works best as a rhetorical frame rather than proof of an actual listener.

Why do poets use soliloquy instead of just writing a first-person lyric?

All soliloquies are written in the first person, but not every first-person lyric qualifies as a soliloquy. A poet opts for the soliloquy style to evoke the feeling of spontaneous, genuine thought. It conveys that this speaker isn't aiming to persuade or impress you. They’re simply thinking. This shift alters how the reader engages with the poem—it's less about being spoken to and more about being an observer. When a poet seeks to express vulnerability and the thought process instead of making definitive statements, soliloquy becomes the ideal choice.