A soliloquy and an aside are both dramatic devices used in plays, but they serve different purposes and are presented in different contexts.
A soliloquy is a speech delivered by a character who is alone on stage, expressing their thoughts and feelings aloud. It allows the audience to gain insight into the character’s inner conflicts and motivations. For example, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s soliloquies reveal his deep philosophical struggles and emotional turmoil.
On the other hand, an aside is a remark made by a character that is intended to be heard by the audience but not by other characters on stage. It often reveals a character’s true feelings or thoughts that contradict their spoken lines. For instance, in a tense scene, a character might say something positive to another character while voicing a cynical comment to the audience, creating dramatic irony.
In summary, while both soliloquies and asides provide insight into a character’s mind, soliloquies are full-length speeches given when a character is alone, whereas asides are shorter comments made directly to the audience amidst ongoing dialogue with other characters.