A soliloquy is a monologue addressed to oneself, thoughts spoken out loud without addressing another. It is a device used in drama to let a character make their thoughts known to the audience, address it directly or take it into their confidence, wholly or in part. Soliloquies are often used to reveal the characters innermost thoughts and motivations, advance the plot, provide exposition, convey important information, and build suspense. They are also used to create a sense of poetry and lyrical beauty in classic theater, offering a break from the dialogue and allowing the audience to focus on the characters emotions. In a play, a soliloquy is a speech that a character delivers while they are alone onstage or believe themselves to be alone. It is a way of expressing their thoughts aloud, but it can only be heard by that character and the audience. Soliloquies are a common device in English Renaissance drama, and are used to great effect in works such as Shakespeares Hamlet, which features the famous soliloquy "To be, or not to be".