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Difficulty: HardDramatic Techniques and Devices

In Bamidele's play *The Broken Gavel*, Judge Segun steps forward during an intense court proceeding to speak directly to the audience while the prosecutor and defense counsel remain motionless on stage:

JUDGE SEGUN: *They believe I hold the scales of justice with an unbiased hand, yet my left hand is secretly bound by the Chief's gold.* [He turns back to the lawyers, and the action resumes.]

Which dramatic technique is employed through Judge Segun's utterance and movement in this scene?

  1. AsideAnswer
  2. B
    Soliloquy
  3. C
    Dramatic irony
  4. D
    Tragic flaw

Answer

Aside
The correct response is Aside because the character breaks away from ongoing action to address the audience directly while other characters remain present on stage without hearing the statement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stage setup and presence of characters in the excerpt.
The excerpt explicitly notes that the prosecutor and defense counsel are present on stage alongside Judge Segun.
Determining whether other characters are present is necessary to distinguish an aside from a soliloquy.
2
Evaluate the nature of the delivery and audience interaction.
Judge Segun addresses the audience directly while the other characters are frozen and unaware of his words.
Addressing the audience in the presence of other characters who cannot hear the speaker defines the convention of an aside.

Key Concept

Distinction between Aside and Soliloquy in Dramatic Conventions
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Topics

Dramatic Techniques and Devices

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