Aside
A short remark a character speaks to the audience or to themselves, unheard by others on stage.
An aside briefly breaks the scene so a character reveals a private thought while other characters remain unaware. Playwrights use it to share true feelings, hidden plans, or ironic commentary directly with the audience. It creates intimacy and often dramatic irony.
Example
Hamlet’s muttered asides let the audience hear his contempt and doubt even as he speaks politely to those around him.
Hamlet · William Shakespeare
Related terms
SoliloquyA speech in which a character, alone on stage, voices their private thoughts aloud.Dramatic MonologueA poem in which a single speaker, not the poet, addresses a silent listener and reveals their character.Dramatic IronyWhen the audience knows something important that one or more characters do not.