Asides

Asides are remarks or passages in a play or drama that are intended to be heard by the audience but not by certain other characters. They serve to reveal a character's inner thoughts or to provide the audience with additional information, creating dramatic irony or intensifying the impact of a scene. asides offer a unique window into a character's psyche or the overall narrative.

Asides meaning with examples

• Hamlet, in Shakespeare's play, frequently delivers asides, revealing his true feelings about Claudius and his mother's hasty marriage. In one aside, he declares, 'O, that this too, too solid flesh would melt!' The audience understands Hamlet's despair, a stark contrast to his public persona. This technique is common to enhance plot.
• The villain in a melodrama might deliver an aside, twirling his mustache and muttering about his nefarious plans, while the hero remains oblivious. The audience, aware of the imminent danger, experiences heightened suspense. The aside creates a feeling of impending doom, which is typical of many plots.
• During a courtroom drama, the defense attorney could whisper an aside to the jury, meant to sway them while seemingly oblivious of the judge. In essence, an aside in this context is a verbal tactic designed to change the course of events. This could cause the courtroom's overall atmosphere to shift and intensify.
• A comic character in a play could frequently offer asides, making humorous observations about the situations happening on stage, aimed directly at the audience. These comments often break the fourth wall and create a bond between the character and audience. This form of humor allows for an audience to feel directly connected to the characters.