Final answer:
When a character speaks out loud while facing the audience and is alone on stage, it is called a soliloquy. A soliloquy is distinct from a dialogue, which involves multiple characters, and a monologue, which can be delivered in the presence of others.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a character speaks out loud while facing the audience, it is known as a soliloquy. This is a type of speech where a character, alone on stage, reveals their inner thoughts or emotions to the audience.
Unlike a dialogue, which involves conversation between two or more characters, or a monologue, where a character may speak at length to other characters on stage, a soliloquy is typically delivered when the speaker is the only one present.
Monologue comes from the Greek words monos (single) and legein (to speak), while soliloquy comes from the Latin words solus (alone) and loqui (to speak).
The purpose of these speech forms is to provide insight into a character's thoughts and to move the plot forward without direct interaction with other characters.
For example, Shakespeare's Hamlet includes the famous "To be, or not to be" soliloquy, which allows the audience to understand Hamlet's internal struggle.