Previous
Similes
Definition of Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, relating his or her innermost thoughts and feelings as if... read full definition
A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, relating his or her innermost... read full definition
A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself... read full definition
Prologue
Explanation and Analysis—The God Ra:
In the prologue, the God Ra soliloquizes, breaking the fourth wall (the imaginary barrier between the actors on stage and the audience) by addressing the audience directly:
Look upon my hawk's head; and know that I am Ra, who was once in Egypt a mighty god. Ye cannot kneel nor prostrate yourselves; for ye are packed in rows without freedom to move, obstructing one another's vision; neither do any of ye regard it as seemly to do aught until ye see all the rest do so too; wherefore it commonly happens that in great emergencies ye do nothing, though each telleth his fellow that something must be done.
Related Themes:
Act 1
Explanation and Analysis—Caesar and the Sphinx:
At the beginning of Act 1, Caesar—believing he is alone—addresses his soliloquy to the Sphinx, observing that he has roamed far and wide but has yet to find a home:
Unlock with LitCharts A+I have wandered many lands, seeking the lost regions from which my birth into this world exiled me, and the company of creatures such as myself. I have found flocks and pastures, men and cities, but no other Caesar, no air native to me, no man kindred to me, none who can do my day's deed, and think my night's thought.
