"Audiences today think that the soliloquy is an outdated and embarrassing device".
"It is the soliloquy that gives Shakespeare and his actor a stranglehold on their audience. It raises tension and creates an intimacy between actor and audience".
How far do you support each of these views about the soliloquy?.
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The soliloquy; a speech made aloud to one's self, without addressing a listener. A prominent feature of all Shakespeare's plays. All throughout Othello, speeches are made aloud. However, it can be extremely difficult to identify which are the soliloquies and which aren't. There is nothing in any dictionary definitions, to suggest the speaker must be alone on stage. Although perhaps it would make more sense. There are copious amounts of long speeches, throughout the play, several crucial to the play. But which of them we ever know they are supposed to be to themselves alone, we can wonder. With this in mind therefore I think a soliloquy is a speech said to one's self but not necessarily alone on stage. There are, therefore many of these in all Shakespeare's plays, and, especially Othello. In certain examples of the play, a long speech is said, with several other characters around but without any recognition, therefore making it appear to be a soliloquy. Examples being Iago and Roderigo, who never really acknowledges anything Iago says anyway. But to consider their importance and effect in Othello, context is crucial. We can't ignore Shakespeare's use of the soliloquy in all his other plays. Perhaps they are all equally as important. The soliloquy is a tool; a device, commonly used by Shakespeare to reveal the characters deepest inhibitions, emotions, thoughts and feelings. Perhaps this is why they may seem embarrassing. With certain characters who fall vulnerable to others, the soliloquy is embarrassing; we see how naive they are, and how stupid they have been to be so blind to the truth.
