Asides

Definition

Asides are dramatic devices used in plays where a character speaks directly to the audience, revealing thoughts or feelings that other characters on stage cannot hear. This technique allows for deeper insight into a character's motivations and intentions while enhancing the audience's engagement with the performance. Asides are particularly prominent in Restoration Drama and Comedy of Manners, where wit and social commentary are crucial to the storytelling.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Asides are commonly used in Restoration comedies to comment on social norms, relationships, and character flaws, often with humor or satire.
2. In many instances, asides allow characters to express hidden agendas or plot secrets without revealing them to other characters, adding layers to the narrative.
3. The use of asides can create a sense of intimacy between the audience and the character, making viewers feel like confidants in the unfolding drama.
4. Asides highlight the playwright's skill in crafting dialogue that is both clever and revealing, showcasing the wit characteristic of Restoration Drama.
5. The effectiveness of an aside often relies on timing and delivery, making it an important tool for actors to convey subtext and engage audiences.

Review Questions

• How do asides function within Restoration Drama to enhance character development?
  • Asides in Restoration Drama serve to deepen character development by providing direct insight into a character's inner thoughts and feelings. This technique allows characters to express their true intentions, desires, or frustrations while remaining concealed from other characters on stage. By using asides, playwrights can develop complex personalities that resonate with audiences, enhancing their emotional investment in the story.
• In what ways do asides contribute to the comedic elements found in Comedy of Manners?
  • Asides contribute significantly to the comedic elements in Comedy of Manners by allowing characters to deliver witty remarks or critiques about society, relationships, and their peers. This humor often stems from the contrast between what characters say aloud versus what they truly think, creating irony and satire. The clever use of asides invites audiences to share in the joke, reinforcing social commentary while entertaining them.
• Evaluate how asides can alter the audience's perception of plot events within a play.
  • Asides can profoundly alter the audience's perception of plot events by providing context and motivations that are not accessible through dialogue alone. When a character reveals their true feelings or plans through an aside, it creates dramatic irony, as the audience may understand implications that other characters do not. This layered storytelling invites viewers to engage more critically with the narrative, shaping their interpretations of character actions and decisions throughout the play.

Related terms

soliloquy: A soliloquy is a longer speech delivered by a character alone on stage, expressing their inner thoughts and emotions, often giving the audience a deeper understanding of their psyche.

dramatic irony: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters do not, creating tension and engagement as viewers anticipate how situations will unfold.

metatheatre: Metatheatre refers to self-referential aspects of a play, where the work draws attention to its own nature as a theatrical performance, often blurring the line between reality and fiction.