English Literature / Unit 1 ENL 0035 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Dramatic Monologue
Captions available
The idea
A dramatic monologue is a poem spoken by one character, not the poet, to a silent listener at a critical moment. We learn what the listener does only through the speaker, who reveals his own character. Browning's "My Last Duchess" is the standard example.
In practice
One speaker, one silent listener.
Where people slip
The speaker is a character, never the poet.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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