A soliloquy is an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play. It is a dramatic convention that allows the audience to hear a character's inner thoughts.

Soliloquies are common in Shakespeare's plays, such as Hamlet's "To be or not to be" and Macbeth's "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow". They differ from monologues, which are addressed to other characters, and from asides, which are brief remarks to the audience.

Key points

• Speaking thoughts aloud alone
• Reveals inner thoughts to audience
• Common in Shakespeare
• Distinct from monologue and aside