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The presence of dialogical tendencies in soliloquies is always based on the
fact that the identity of the speaker and listener which defines the
soliloquy is dissolved into a contrast between different semantic contexts.
This contrast can take on different forms:
- Prayer: this form isn't used in Sweeney Todd. The only evidence of this is the Judge's song. I discussed this song in a previous section,
and I stated that it starts as a prayer (cf. p.
).
- Interior dialogue: there are two examples of this in Sweeney Todd: the Epiphany and the Judge's Song. In both cases the speaker is divided into two
different conflicting subjects.
- Speech ad spectatores: this only works in the external
communication. It is directed at a fictitious audience. In the Epiphany, there is good example of this:
TODD: You, sir?
Who, sir?
How about a shave?
Iede Snoek
2002-02-25