This question is based on General Literary Principles. The speech made by a character to himself on stage is

1. Analyze the question The question asks for the term for a speech a character makes to himself while on stage. The key idea is that the character is alone and speaking his thoughts aloud.

2. Explain the concepts

• Epilogue: A short concluding speech or section at the end of a play, often addressed to the audience. It is not a character's private speech.
• Aside: A brief remark by a character, heard by the audience but supposedly not by the other characters on stage. Other characters are present, and the remark is short.
• Soliloquy: A speech in which a character, usually alone on stage, speaks his inner thoughts aloud as if to himself. A famous example is Hamlet's "To be, or not to be..."
• Monologue: A long speech by one character, usually addressed to other characters or to the audience. Others may be present and listening.

3. Solution The question describes a character talking to himself on stage. That matches the definition of a soliloquy, which reveals the character's private thoughts and feelings to the audience.

Monologue is a close distractor. It is a long speech by one person, but it is typically directed at others. The phrase "to himself" points to soliloquy.

4. Answer The correct option is C. soliloquy.

5. Exam tip Remember the Latin roots: solo means "alone" and loqui means "to speak", so soliloquy means "speaking alone". For aside, think "aside from the others", a quick whisper to the audience while other characters are present.