Dramatic monologue

The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms - Ross Murfin 2018

Dramatic monologue

Dramatic monologue: A lyric poem in which the speaker addresses a silent listener, revealing himself or herself in the context of a dramatic situation. The speaker provides information not only about his or her personality but also about the time, the setting, key events, and any other characters involved in the situation at hand.

EXAMPLES: Robert Browning’s “The Bishop Orders His Tomb” (1845), T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1917).