Drama: December 09, 2020 Issue [#10501]
<< November 25, 2020Drama Archives | More From This Day | Print This IssueDecember 16, 2020 >>




 This week: Dramatic and Internal Monologues
  Edited by: Joy Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

“...every monologue sooner or later becomes a discussion.”
Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter

A conversation is a dialogue , not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity , two intelligent talkers seldom meet.
Truman Capote

“Whether a character in your novel is full of choler, bile, phlegm, blood or plain old buffalo chips, the fire of life is [should be] in there, too, as long as that character lives.”
James Alexander Thom

“Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived....Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings--and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone.”
Brian McDonald

“What is called music today is all too often only a disguise for the monologue of power.”
Jacques Attali


Hello, I am Joy Author Icon, this week's drama editor. This issue is about reaching a character's inner world through dramatic and internal monologues.

Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.


Please, note that there are no rules in writing, but there are methods that work for most of us most of the time.
The ideas and suggestions in my articles and editorials have to do with those methods. You are always free to find your own way and alter the methods to your liking.



Word from our sponsor

ASIN: 0997970618
Amazon's Price: $ 14.99


Letter from the editor

Free clipart from webweaver


Welcome to the Drama newsletter


         Have you ever wondered why some stories resonate more with us than others, even those not too focused on action? If you did and if you are a fan of the stage arts, you’ll remember actors talking and reasoning to themselves stepping forward or moving to the side of the stage, away from the others on stage. This is called dramatic monologue, and although its definition usually has to do with poetry, the term is closely related to fiction's internal monologue.

         Then, Britannica defines the same concept as, “A dramatic monologue is any speech of some duration addressed by a character to a second person. In fictional literature, an interior monologue is a type of monologue that exhibits the thoughts, feelings, and associations passing through a character's mind.”

         No matter the context or the type of fiction, a powerful story needs strong assets such as voice, originality, style, a compelling plot, and above all strong characters. Thus, what makes any story come alive has to do with its characters’ insights into their own psyches. Let’s see how Shakespeare does it.

         Here’s a man explaining himself.
         “Menenius: I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tiber in't; said to be something imperfect in favoring the first complaint; hasty and tinder-like upon too trivial motion; one that converses more with the buttock of the night than with the forehead of the morning. What I think, I utter, and spend my malice in my breath.” From Coriolanus

         Here's woman explaining herself.
         Adriana: “I am possessed with an adulterate blot; My blood is mingled with the crime of lust. For if we two be one, and thou play false, I do digest the poison of thy flesh, being strumpeted by thy contagion.” From The Comedy of Errors.

         As in real life, only the strong-willed characters (or those who develop through the storyline to become strong-willed) know how to get in touch with and reveal their own feelings, minds, motivations, and egos. We writers all make our characters look into themselves in one way or another, but what if we wanted to write something close to a dramatic monologue?

         Here are a few steps we might consider employing.


         *Bullet* A strong point of view and a single character is a must.

         In the following quote Jane Eyre describes how she feels after the truth comes out that Mr. Rochester cannot marry her because he is already married.
          “Jane Eyre, who had been an ardent expectant woman—almost a bride—was a cold, solitary girl again; her life was pale; her prospects were desolate…I looked at my love; that feeling which was my master’s…it shivered in my heart, like a suffering child in a cold cradle; sickness and anguished had seized it; it could not seek Mr. Rochester’s arms—it could not derive warmth from his breast. Oh, never more could it turn to him; for faith was blighted—confidence destroyed!”

         *Bullet* The monologue--or rather looking in--should start with a strong sentence.

         “Our wounds are different. Your white men/Are, after all, not gods indeed, / Nor able to make Christs again /Do good with bleeding.”
From The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

         *Bullet* A good monologue needs to build up to some action, which is usually a decision.

         “We can’t strike. Why not? Because it’s against the law to strike! The king has declared that everything is a crime. Writing is a crime. Two weeks ago, the police destroyed the Galaty, the worker’s newspaper. They smashed the press…” says Marius in Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

         *Bullet* Decide what your limitations are. Unlike the olden times when actors on stage went on and on, our readers and audiences cannot take droning for too long. If you are writing a play, remember that about 150 words equal one minute. If you are writing any other form of fiction, limit your character’s self-expression to a couple of paragraphs the most. Surely you can continue on the same thought later, but make sure some kind of an action divides the internal monologue, so you don’t lull the readers or the audience to sleep.

         *Bullet* End the monologue with words that are meaningful and effective to leave the readers and the audience with something to think about. A good practice is to write several endings and pick the most appropriate one.

         As an example, in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Marmeladov looks forward to the final judgment of Christ.
         “And He will say, ‘Come to me! I have already forgiven thee once…Thy sins which are many are forgiven thee for thou hast loved much’ …. And the wise ones and those of understanding will say, ‘Oh Lord, why dost Thou receive these men?’ And He will say, ‘This is why I receive them, oh ye wise, this is why I receive them, oh ye of understanding, that not one of them believed himself to be worthy of this.'”


          Whether we write a play and use dramatic monologue or we write a story or a novel and use internal monologue, may all our monologues make our characters shine!

          Until next time! *Smile*



Editor's Picks

          *Gold*   Enjoy!   *Gold*

*Reading**BalloonR**Music1**Music1**Music1* *Clock**BalloonR**Heart**Reading**BalloonR**Clock**Heart**BalloonR**Reading**BalloonR**Heart**Clock**BalloonR**Reading**BalloonR**Clock**Heart**Music1**Music1**Music1* *BalloonR**Reading*


 No Promise of Tomorrow Open in new Window. (E)
My main character’s guilty lament of his crimes before facing battle the next day.
#2207098 by Multiman Author IconMail Icon

 
Image Protector
STATIC
The Lake's Power  Open in new Window. (13+)
A child lives inside adults. A metaphor for a mentally unstable woman.
#2237588 by Mrs. Nixie Clause Author IconMail Icon

between mother and son Open in new Window. (18+)
When the love hate line is crossed. A daring emotional work. A theatrical monologue
#1081737 by alfred booth, wanbli ska Author IconMail Icon

 
Image Protector
STATIC
I am Ron Weasley  Open in new Window. (E)
Featuring Ron's monologue when his best friend, Harry, became a Triwizard Champion.
#2234717 by Elfycia Lee ☮ Author IconMail Icon

seven, actually Open in new Window. (13+)
stream of consciousness about turning off your emotions
#2204238 by Charlie Carrol Author IconMail Icon

Image Protector
STATIC
The Endtimes Open in new Window. (ASR)
A Writer's Cramp monologue about life (and death) without writing.com.
#703708 by winklett Author IconMail Icon

 My Take on Depression Open in new Window. (E)
My take on depression as written for a monologue contest.
#720719 by Jale DeCrittare Author IconMail Icon


Items sent to this newsletter
Image Protector
Ailurophobia Open in new Window. [13+]
Sometimes phobias are a good thing.
by ForeverDreamer Author Icon


 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!



Ask & Answer

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Bullet* This Issue's Tip: The dramatic monologue, in prose or poetry, shows a timelessness element in its essence. The facts and the social realm are its side shows. While writing the dramatic monologue, therefore, we need to pay serious attention to its timelessness.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Feedback for "Cats in Dramatic FictionOpen in new Window.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

ForeverDreamer Author Icon
Since the subject is cats, please consider my cat tale. Thank you.
Image Protector
STATIC
Ailurophobia Open in new Window. (13+)
Sometimes phobias are a good thing.
#2189893 by ForeverDreamer Author IconMail Icon



Done! Thank you for writing to this newsletter. As your story points to it in such a compelling way, I will be very careful not to cross any cat. *Wink* *Smile*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: 197380364X
Amazon's Price: $ 15.99

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


<< November 25, 2020Drama Archives | More From This Day | Print This IssueDecember 16, 2020 >>

This printed copy is for your personal use only. Reproduction of this work in any other form is not allowed and does violate its copyright.