Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will learn the differences between monologues and soliloquies, analyze monologues and soliloquies that appear throughout The Taming of the Shrew, and understand why an author would use one instead of the other.

Materials

  • The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
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Lesson Objectives

1. Students will learn the definitions of monologues and soliloquies and understand how they are different.

2. Students will analyze different examples of monologues and soliloquies.

3. Students will explain why an author would choose to have a character deliver a monologue instead of a soliloquy and vice versa.

Instructional Sequence

1. Explain dialogue in Shakespeare’s plays.

Most dialogue between characters in Shakespeare’s plays is written in blank verse or prose. Blank verse is poetry that does not rhyme but has meter. Prose is everyday, nonpoetic language.

Shakespeare often had certain characters speak in either blank verse or prose to convey their social status. For example, a higher-ranking person would speak more metrically, while a servant would probably speak in prose. Shakespeare gave information about a character based on what they said as well as how they said it. He did this not only in dialogue but also when just one character was speaking.

2. Define monologue and soliloquy. 

In both monologues and soliloquies, one character is speaking for an extended period of time without interruption from any other characters. However, in a monologue, the character is either speaking to other characters onstage or addressing the audience directly. In a soliloquy, the character is only speaking to himself or herself, and no other characters are aware of the thoughts expressed in the soliloquy.

When a character delivers a soliloquy, the audience or readers can assume the character is being absolutely truthful, as the soliloquy expresses the character’s innermost thoughts. However, the ideas or emotions a character expresses in a monologue may not be entirely honest, as the character could be trying to manipulate someone.

Students can remember the difference between the two by their root words: monologue comes from “mono,” meaning one, and soliloquy comes from “solo,” meaning alone.

Pass out the Understanding Monologues and Soliloquies Worksheet. Ask students to write the definitions of monologue and soliloquy on their worksheets.

3. Provide examples from the text. 

Have students turn to Act 1, Scene 1, lines 1–24 (No Fear edition), to read the following stage directions and lines:

Flourish. Enter LUCENTIO and his man TRANIO
Lucentio:
Tranio, since for the great desire I had
To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,
I am arrived for fruitful Lombardy,
The pleasant garden of great Italy,
And by my father’s love and leave am armed
With his goodwill and thy good company.
My trusty servant, well approved in all,
Here let us breathe and haply institute
A course of learning and ingenious studies.
Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,
Gave me my being and my father first,
A merchant of great traffic through the world,
Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii.
Vincentio’s son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become to serve all hopes conceived
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds.
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study
Virtue, and that part of philosophy
Will I apply that treats of happiness
By virtue specially to be achieved.
Tell me thy mind, for I have Pisa left
And am to Padua come, as he that leaves
A shallow plash to plunge him in the deep
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tell students that it is an example of a monologue. We can see from the stage directions that Lucentio is not alone onstage, as Tranio enters with him. And throughout the speech, Lucentio addresses Tranio directly. The purpose of this monologue is to introduce Lucentio and explain to the reader why he and Tranio are in Padua.

Next, have students turn to Act 2, Scene 1, lines 161–175 and read them silently (No Fear edition).

Petruchio:
I pray you do.
Exeunt all but Petruchio
I’ll attend her here
And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
Say that she rail; why then I’ll tell her plain
She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown; I’ll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly washed with dew.
Say she be mute and will not speak a word;
Then I’ll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence.
If she do bid me pack, I’ll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week.
If she deny to wed, I’ll crave the day
When I shall ask the banns and when be marrièd.
But here she comes—and now, Petruchio, speak.

Explain to students that this is an example of a soliloquy. The stage directions tell us that Petruchio is alone. He is not addressing the audience but rather thinking to himself about his plan to get Katherine to marry him. None of the other characters know of his plan, which will make his wooing of Katherine more believable to them.

4. Identify monologue or soliloquy.

Have students turn to Act 2, Scene 1, lines 292–307 (No Fear edition), or display the following lines for them to see:

Petruchio:
Be patient, gentlemen. I choose her for myself.
If she and I be pleased, what’s that to you?
’Tis bargained ‘twixt us twain, being alone,
That she shall still be curst in company.
I tell you, ‘tis incredible to believe
How much she loves me. O, the kindest Kate!
She hung about my neck, and kiss on kiss
She vied so fast, protesting oath on oath,
That in a twink she won me to her love.
O, you are novices! ‘Tis a world to see,
How tame, when men and women are alone,
A meacock wretch can make the curstest shrew.—
Give me thy hand, Kate. I will unto Venice
To buy apparel ’gainst the wedding day.
Provide the feast, father, and bid the guests.
I will be sure my Katherine shall be fine. 

Ask: Is this a monologue or soliloquy? How do you know? Students should answer that it is a monologue because Petruchio is addressing other characters in the play. He is also not being truthful, as he says Katherine expressed her love for him when we know from their previous exchange that all she did was insult him. 

Have students return to their worksheets and answer questions 3 and 4.

Differentiated Instruction

This activity can be modified to help all students access learning.
Decrease difficulty

Have students work in small groups to complete questions 3 and 4 on the worksheet. Review what makes monologues and soliloquies different before they read each passage. Prompt groups to look at stage directions to decide what kind of speech each character is giving. Ask how each speech would have been different if the character delivered it differently.

Increase difficulty

Have students look for other examples of monologues and soliloquies throughout the play and explain how they know whether each example is a monologue or soliloquy and why the author chose that method of delivery for the speech.

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