The Voice of Monologues: Multiple Manifestations of the Inner Hearts of Dramatic Characters
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The Voice of Monologues: Multiple Manifestations of the Inner Hearts of Dramatic Characters

Liangqi Liu 1* Kaiman Pa 2, Ruoyu Tu 3
1 Wuhan Yingzhong Senior High School
2 Fuzhou Sedbergh School
3 Ulink High School of Suzhou Industrial Park
*Corresponding author: Casper200777@outlook.com
Published on 2 October 2025
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LNEP Vol.124
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-405-2
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-406-9
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Abstract

This paper explores the dramatic function of monologues in Chinese and Western theater in the 20th century and earlier, with a focus on their role in character development and the depiction of psychological activity. Through an analysis of representative works such as Shakespeare's Hamlet and Cao Yu's Thunderstorm, this paper finds that monologues not only serve as an important means of revealing inner conflicts, but also play a central role in advancing the plot and deepening the expression of themes. In Western drama, monologues often carry philosophical reflections and self-examination, while in Chinese drama, they place greater emphasis on emotional expression and characterization through monologues. This difference in usage reflects the “cultural differences” between Chinese and Western drama in terms of narrative style and aesthetic concepts. Nevertheless, monologues still share the important function of expressing characters' emotions and revealing their personalities across different cultural contexts, reflecting the profound concern for the universality of human nature in dramatic art

Keywords:

Dramatic monologue, characters, dialogue

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Liu,L.;Pa,K.;Tu,R. (2025). The Voice of Monologues: Multiple Manifestations of the Inner Hearts of Dramatic Characters. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,124,63-68.

References

[1]. Cao, Y. (1996). Thunderstorm. In The Complete Works of Cao Yu (Vol. 5, p. 9). Huashan Literature and Art Publishing House.

[2]. Zhang, P. (2005). "Prison", "Nut Shell", "Monarch of Infinite Space" and "Nightmare": An Interpretation of a Line in Act 2, Scene 2 of Hamlet. Foreign Literature Studies, (1).

[3]. Cao, Y. (2000). Thunderstorm (Act 1, pp. 181-183). People’s Literature Publishing House.

[4]. Li, H. (2019). On the Philosophical Implications of Soliloquies in Hamlet (Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation, pp. 32-38). Fudan University.

[5]. Chen, G. (2020). Cultural origin and spiritual connotation of soliloquies in Western drama. Theatre Arts, (3), 45-56.

[6]. Wang, Q. (2018). Situational analysis of soliloquies in Chinese classical opera. In Z. Zhao (Ed.), New Perspectives on Opera Studies: Collected Essays (pp. 123-135). Culture and Art Publishing House.

[7]. Liu, Y. (2021, May 12). The development of soliloquies in Chinese modern drama from the perspective of Thunderstorm. Literary and Artistic News, (003).

[8]. Zhu, G. Q. (2002). A History of Western Aesthetics (pp. 234-245). People's Literature Publishing House.

[9]. Shakespeare, W. Hamlet [online]. https: //lib2.buct.edu.cn/bookInfo_01h0138748.html (accessed 23 July 2025).

[10]. Nan Ci Xu Lu. (1959). In Zhongguo Gudian Xiqu Lunzhu Jicheng (Vol. 3, p. 246). China Theatre Press.

[11]. Jie'an Laoren. (1982). Jie’an Laoren Manbi (p. 194). Zhonghua Shuju. (Ed. by Zhonghua Shuju)

[12]. Hamlet. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. https: //en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Hamlet (accessed 23 July 2025).

[13]. Greenblatt, S. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare (as described on Harvard University English Department website) [online]. https: //scholar.harvard.edu/stephengreenblatt/will-world-how-shakespeare-became-shakespeare (accessed 23 July 2025).

[14]. Bloom, H. (1998). Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. Riverhead Books.

[15]. Bate, J., & Rasmussen, E. (2022). Review of RSC William Shakespeare. Review of English Studies, 73(311), 790-792. https: //doi.org/10.1093/res/hgac048

References

[1]. Cao, Y. (1996). Thunderstorm. In The Complete Works of Cao Yu (Vol. 5, p. 9). Huashan Literature and Art Publishing House.

[2]. Zhang, P. (2005). "Prison", "Nut Shell", "Monarch of Infinite Space" and "Nightmare": An Interpretation of a Line in Act 2, Scene 2 of Hamlet. Foreign Literature Studies, (1).

[3]. Cao, Y. (2000). Thunderstorm (Act 1, pp. 181-183). People’s Literature Publishing House.

[4]. Li, H. (2019). On the Philosophical Implications of Soliloquies in Hamlet (Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation, pp. 32-38). Fudan University.

[5]. Chen, G. (2020). Cultural origin and spiritual connotation of soliloquies in Western drama. Theatre Arts, (3), 45-56.

[6]. Wang, Q. (2018). Situational analysis of soliloquies in Chinese classical opera. In Z. Zhao (Ed.), New Perspectives on Opera Studies: Collected Essays (pp. 123-135). Culture and Art Publishing House.

[7]. Liu, Y. (2021, May 12). The development of soliloquies in Chinese modern drama from the perspective of Thunderstorm. Literary and Artistic News, (003).

[8]. Zhu, G. Q. (2002). A History of Western Aesthetics (pp. 234-245). People's Literature Publishing House.

[9]. Shakespeare, W. Hamlet [online]. https: //lib2.buct.edu.cn/bookInfo_01h0138748.html (accessed 23 July 2025).

[10]. Nan Ci Xu Lu. (1959). In Zhongguo Gudian Xiqu Lunzhu Jicheng (Vol. 3, p. 246). China Theatre Press.

[11]. Jie'an Laoren. (1982). Jie’an Laoren Manbi (p. 194). Zhonghua Shuju. (Ed. by Zhonghua Shuju)

[12]. Hamlet. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. https: //en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Hamlet (accessed 23 July 2025).

[13]. Greenblatt, S. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare (as described on Harvard University English Department website) [online]. https: //scholar.harvard.edu/stephengreenblatt/will-world-how-shakespeare-became-shakespeare (accessed 23 July 2025).

[14]. Bloom, H. (1998). Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. Riverhead Books.

[15]. Bate, J., & Rasmussen, E. (2022). Review of RSC William Shakespeare. Review of English Studies, 73(311), 790-792. https: //doi.org/10.1093/res/hgac048

Cite this article

Liu,L.;Pa,K.;Tu,R. (2025). The Voice of Monologues: Multiple Manifestations of the Inner Hearts of Dramatic Characters. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,124,63-68.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: The Dialogue Between Tradition and Innovation in Language Learning

ISBN: 978-1-80590-405-2(Print) / 978-1-80590-406-9(Online)
Editor: Heidi Gregory-Mina, Enrique Mallen
Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/Huntsville.html
Conference date: 17 November 2025
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.124
ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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