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Question: Why would a poet write a dramatic monologue!?
since they are not speaking as themsleves!? how would speaking as nother person help them to express their views!?
im having trouble understanding!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Another point: By not speaking in the first person, the poet allows the reader to examine the speaker's point of view more abstractly!. The dramatic monologue is a poetic device used by many great poets to express more than can be expressed in a poem, while still retaining the imagery, metaphors and other poetic devices inherent in poetry!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You're treading a dangerous path when you assume that all poems in the first person are intended to speak for the poet himself (or herself)!. All poems, even those that are very personal and use a lot of "I", have a speaker!. That speaker may, or in most cases may not be, the actual poet!. Almost always, the poet is creating a character within the confines of the poem itself, no matter how autobiographical the contents!.

So when a poet decides to write a dramatic monologue that is very explicitly in the voice of another character, they really aren't doing anything very different!. Poetry written strictly with the poet as the speaker is much more the exception to the rule (except for all the drivel posted on Yahoo Answers)!.

For example, Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" is in the first person and has a lot of biographical elements - Frost lived in rural New England and likely walked the fence once or twice, picking up stones!. However, he's not writing a personal narrative about his experience!. He's using the voice of a farmer, picking up stones with his neighbor, to talk about a bigger picture - the barriers to human connection!. We cannot, cannot assume that Frost intends himself to be the speaker!. We have to let the author and the speaker be distinct, even if they are connected in many ways!.

But in terms of dramatic monologue specifically, these tell, like any poem, important stories that the poet wants to share!. They reflect the values of society, or the ideals that the poet wished society valued!. They demonstrate artistic talent as the poet fully realizes a character drama within a few lines!. They are oftentimes entertaining, and people who lived before TV and X-boxes would read them aloud in the evenings, acting out the part!.

Poetry has a fictional, artistic element just like any short story or novel!. Your assumption that all poetry must be strictly personal and autobiographical will cause you to miss some really amazing pieces of writing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well I've written some of those, but only because I was into acting and wanted to write my own monologues!. I do agree with you that the monologue is not strictly a poem, though it likely used some poetic devices!.

A poet would do that if it interested them because ultimately a poet is a writer!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Bob asks, "What does he mean!?"
Dave says, "His brain hurts!."
Bob wonders, "Where has he been!?"
Dave knows, "With his buddy Bert!."Www@QuestionHome@Com

Exactly!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.I totally agree!.Www@QuestionHome@Com