Aside

Definition

An aside is a dramatic device where a character speaks directly to the audience, expressing thoughts or feelings that are not heard by other characters on stage. This technique creates a sense of intimacy and allows the audience to gain insight into a character's motivations and inner conflicts, thereby enhancing the overall dramatic structure and dialogue within a play.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Aside moments typically occur in plays during critical plot points, allowing the audience to understand a character's true intentions.
2. Asides are often delivered in a brief format, contrasting with longer speeches like soliloquies and monologues.
3. In Shakespearean plays, asides are frequently used to enhance character development and establish relationships among characters.
4. The use of asides can create comedic effects, as characters might express one sentiment aloud while hiding their true feelings from others.
5. Asides contribute to the play's pacing by providing quick insights without disrupting the flow of action between characters.

Review Questions

• How do asides enhance character development in a play?
  • Asides allow characters to reveal their true thoughts and emotions directly to the audience without being overheard by other characters. This gives the audience deeper insight into a character's motivations and conflicts, enriching their understanding of the character's role within the story. By hearing an aside, viewers can better appreciate the complexity of relationships and the tension that may exist between characters, thus making them more engaged with the narrative.
• Analyze how an aside might create dramatic irony in a scene.
  • An aside can contribute to dramatic irony by disclosing information to the audience that other characters are unaware of. For instance, if a character reveals their true plans or feelings in an aside while interacting with another character who remains oblivious, it creates tension as the audience anticipates how this revelation will affect the unfolding drama. This technique effectively builds suspense and keeps viewers engaged as they wait for characters to discover the truth.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of asides compared to soliloquies in conveying a character's internal struggles.
  • While both asides and soliloquies provide insight into a character's internal struggles, they serve different purposes in narrative delivery. Asides are typically brief and directly address the audience, fostering an immediate connection while maintaining the ongoing action. In contrast, soliloquies allow for more extensive exploration of thoughts but often pause the action. The effectiveness of each depends on the context; asides can add humor or tension in real-time interactions, while soliloquies offer depth during reflective moments. Together, they create a richer tapestry of character exploration.

Related terms

soliloquy: A soliloquy is a speech delivered by a character who is alone on stage, revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings to the audience.

dramatic irony: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more about a situation or character than the other characters in the play, creating tension and engagement.

monologue:

A monologue is an extended speech by a single character that expresses their thoughts or feelings, often directed at other characters or the audience.