Write a Monologue for a Play

Dramatic monologues can be tricky to write as they must provide character detail and plot without bogging down the play or boring the audience. An effective dramatic monologue should express the thoughts of one character and add emotion or intrigue to the rest of the play.[1] You may decide to write a monologue to add character detail to the play or to raise the stakes of the play overall. You should start by structuring the monologue so you can then write and polish the monologue to perfection.

Steps

Structuring the Monologue

  1. Decide the perspective of the monologue. The monologue should be from the perspective of one character in the play. Focusing on the point of view of one character can help to give the monologue purpose and a distinct character voice.[1][2]
    • You may decide to write a monologue for the main character of the play to give him/her the chance to speak on their own, separate of the other characters. Or, you may write a monologue for a minor character who has not had much stage time to give them a chance to finally express themselves.
  2. Determine the purpose of the monologue. You should also consider what the purpose of the monologue is, as it should serve a key purpose within the rest of the play. The monologue should reveal something to the audience that cannot be revealed through dialogue or character interaction. This could be a story, a secret, an answer to an ongoing questions in the play, or an emotional release by a character. Your monologue should serve a clear purpose and act as a revelation for the speaker.[1]
    • The monologue should also up the stakes of the play in some way. It should add tension, conflict, or emotion to the rest of the play and give the audience new insight into an issue or problem that already existed in the play.
    • For example, perhaps there is a character in your play who has been mute through the entire first act. You may then write a monologue allowing her to speak and reveal the reason why she is mute. This may then up the stakes for the second act of the play, as the audience now has the knowledge of why the character is mute.
  3. Decide who will be addressed in the monologue. You should determine who your speaker will be talking to or addressing in the monologue so you can frame the monologue with the audience in mind. The monologue may be addressed to a specific character in the play, the speaker may be addressing themselves, or they may be addressing the audience.[1]
    • You may decide to use the monologue to address a specific character, especially if the speaker has emotions or feelings they want to express to a certain character in the play. It may also be useful to use the monologue as a way for the character to express their own thoughts or feelings about an event in the play for the benefit of the audience.
  4. Consider the beginning, middle, and end of the monologue. A good monologue will have a clear beginning, middle and end. Like a mini story, the monologue should also include a clear shift from the beginning to the end, where the speaker has a revelation or a realization. Your monologue should begin and end with purpose.[1]
    • You may create an outline that includes a rough beginning, middle, and end for the monologue. You may jot down roughly what will occur in each stage of the monologue. For example, you may write: “Beginning: Elena the mute speaks. Middle: She tells us why and how she became mute. Ending: She realizes she prefers staying silent to saying her thoughts out loud.”
    • Another option is to create a beginning line and an ending line for the monologue. You may then create the content between the beginning and the ending to generate ideas and thoughts for the monologue.
  5. Read example monologues. You can get a better sense of structure for your monologue by reading example monologues. These monologues have been written with the larger play in mind but they can also stand on their own as contained dramatic pieces. Several examples include:
    • Hamlet’s monologue in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.[3]
    • The Duchess of Berwick’s monologue in Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan.[4]
    • Jean’s monologue in August Strindberg’s Miss Julie.[5]
    • Christy’s monologue in John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World.[6]
    • “My Princesa” monologue by Antonia Rodriguez.[7]

Writing the Monologue

  1. Start the monologue with a hook. Your monologue should get the listener’s attention right away and draw them in. You want to hook your audience so they are willing to listen to your character’s monologue. The opening line of your monologue will set the tone for the rest of the piece and give the audience a sense of the character voice’s and language.[1]
    • You may start the monologue with a big revelation right away, such as Christy’s monologue in John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World.[6] It begins: “Up to the day I killed my father, there wasn't a person in Ireland knew the kind I was, and I there drinking, waking, eating, sleeping, a quiet, simple poor fellow with no man giving me heed.”
    • This monologue tells the audience right away that the speaker killed his father. It then discusses the events leading up to the killing and how the speaker feels about his actions.
  2. Use your character’s voice and language. The monologue should be written from the perspective of one character and should feature their unique language and voice. A strong character voice in a monologue can go a long way to adding color, interest, and perspective to the piece. Use your character’s voice when you write the monologue and include any slang or particular phrasing they might use.[1]
    • For example, the “My Princesa” monologue by Antonia Rodriguez [7] is written from the perspective of a Latino father. The character uses terms, slang, and sayings that are specific to his perspective, such as “whoop his ass”, “I wanna know”, and “Oh hell naw!” These elements make the monologue engaging and adds character detail.
    • Another example is The Duchess of Berwick’s monologue in Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan.[4] The monologue has a more conversational, chatty tone and the character voice seems to simply be talking to the audience casually. Wilde uses the character’s voice to reveal plot and keep the audience engaged.
  3. Allow your character to reflect on the past and the present. Many monologues discuss the present action of the play by reflecting back on past events. You should strive to have a balance between reflection on the past and discussion of the present in your monologue. The past details should illuminate an event or character dilemma in the present. The character should try to use memory to address an issue in the present.[8]
    • For example, Christy’s monologue in John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World[6] tries to address his murder of his father by reflecting back on his past life. He discusses past decisions and moments that may have lead to his pivotal decision.
  4. Add description and detail. Keep in mind your audience will not have the luxury of flipping to a visual image of what is happening in the monologue. All they can rely on is the words you use in the monologue to describe a certain moment or a certain detail. You should try to tie in as many of senses as you can in your monologue so the audience becomes immersed in the events in the monologue.[8]
    • For example, Jean’s monologue in August Strindberg’s Miss Julie[5] opens with striking images of Jean’s childhood, “I lived in a hovel provided by the state, with seven brothers and sisters and a pig; out on a barren stretch where nothing grew, not even a tree, but from the window I could see the Count's park walls with apple trees rising above them.”
    • The specific details in the monologue really help to paint a picture of Jean’s childhood “hovel”, complete with a pig. These details also add to Jean’s character and help the reader get a better sense of his past, or backstory.
  5. Include a moment of discovery. Your monologue should include a moment of discovery or a revelation. This could be a moment of discovery for the speaker or a moment of discovery for the audience. Having a revelation in the monologue will give it purpose. The revelation should also up the stakes of the play so it contributes to the play as a whole.[8]
    • For example, in Christy’s monologue in John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World[6] the speaker reveals to the audience that his father was not a very considerate person or a very good father. He then acknowledges that he did the world a favor by killing his father, a disturbing but matter-of-fact revelation.
  6. Have a button ending. The monologue should have a clear ending or a button ending, where the thoughts expressed in the monologue are brought to a conclusion. The speaker should accept something, overcome an issue or obstacle, or make a decision about a conflict in the play. The decision moment should be clear and the speaker should speak with decisive action by the end of the monologue.[8]
    • For example, in Jean’s monologue in August Strindberg’s Miss Julie[5] the speaker reveals that he tried to kill himself out of anguish for being born too low to be with Miss Julie. Despite his attempt, he lived. Jean then ends the monologue with a reflection on what he learned about his feelings for Miss Julie: “You were unattainable, but through the vision of you I was made to realize how hopeless it was to rise above the conditions of my birth.”

Polishing the Monologue

  1. Cut down the monologue to the essentials. An effective monologue will not be too long or expansive. It should include the essentials of the monologue and hit the reader with just enough information to move the play forward. You should read over the monologue and revise it so it does not seem long-winded or overdone.[1]
    • Remove any redundant lines or awkward phrases. Cut out any words that do not add to the character’s voice or language. Try to include only the essential details in the monologue.
  2. Read the monologue out loud. A monologue is written to be read out loud to an audience so you should test its effectiveness by reading it out to yourself or to a sympathetic audience. You should listen to ensure the monologue has a distinct character voice and uses language that suits the speaker.
    • You should also note moments where the monologue is confusing or too wordy. Simplify these areas so the monologue is easy to follow for the listener.
  3. Have an actor perform the monologue for you. If possible, you should try to find an actor who can perform the monologue with you as the audience. You may ask a friend to perform the monologue or hire an actor. Getting a professional to read your monologue can help bring it to life and allow you to revise it for the stage.

Sample Monologues

Doc:Comedic Monologue,Dramatic Monologue

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 https://www.theatrefolk.com/spotlights/writing-the-monologue
  2. ↑ http://pediaa.com/how-to-write-a-monologue/
  3. ↑ http://examples.yourdictionary.com/monologue-examples.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.monologuearchive.com/w/wilde_008.html
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 http://www.monologuearchive.com/s/strindberg_012.html
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 http://www.monologuearchive.com/s/synge_001.html
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.phillyyoungplaywrights.org/uploads/4/3/7/7/43779537/_monologuesfinal.pdf
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 http://www.monologuegenie.com/monologue-writing-101.html

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