Main Difference
In origin, the words are doublets. Greek monologue and Latin soliloquy both mean ‘single speech’. But they are now distinguished in performances with monologue as a speech made by one person in the company of others while a soliloquy is spoken by one person who is alone.
Monologue
A monologue is a long speech delivered by one person who forgets or neglects the others who are there, with an example being “The Vagina Monologues.” A monologue may be addressed to other characters or the audience.
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is spoken by one person who is alone. In a soliloquy, the speaker isn’t addressing anyone. It is a lengthy speech presented by an individual character to himself / herself. It is an expression of a character’s inner thoughts.
Key Differences
- In a soliloquy, the speaker isn’t addressing anyone. A monologue may be addressed to other characters or the audience.
- Monologue is a “long and typically tedious speech by one person during a conversation”, while a soliloquy is “the act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers”.
- The difference is who it’s aimed at. A soliloquy is a self-aimed monologue.
- A monologue is a lengthy speech presented by a character of a play to other characters or audience while a soliloquy is a lengthy speech presented by an individual character to himself / herself.
- A monologue could either be an address to other characters or audience, a narration of a story or even some speech to achieve a certain goal. A soliloquy is an expression of a character’s inner thoughts.
- A monologue is often aimed to be listened while a soliloquy is not.
- A soliloquy is a type a monologue.
- a monologue could be aimed at some audience while a soliloquy is not intended to be heard by other characters of the drama. This would be the most subtle difference between a monologue and a soliloquy.
- A monologue from the Greek monos (“single”) and legein (“to speak”) is a speech given by a single person to an audience. a soliloquy from the Latin solus (“alone”) and loqui (“to speak”) is a speech that one gives to oneself. In a play, a character delivering a soliloquy talks to herself.