Charles exits, and Oliver is left alone on stage. The actor portraying Oliver then proceeds to deliver a soliloquy, a speech representing the thoughts of the character. In his mind Oliver admits that he has no real reason to justify his hatred of Orlando. Orlando, despite his lack of education, is gentle and naturally intelligent and behaves nobly. Most other people respect Orlando. The same people, on the other hand, usually despise Oliver. Oliver, then, is envious of Orlando. And, so, Oliver plans to urge Orlando in his plan to wrestle at the court.
Giving a soliloquy to a villain or antagonist was somewhat unusual in Renaissance drama, but Shakespeare uses this short speech to good effect in the play to explain quickly and efficiently the motivation of the eldest brother. This soliloquy, perhaps, might even be viewed as a prototype to the soliloquies Shakespeare would write several years later for his tragedy of Othello. In that play the villain Iago, who is also a figure of envy, delivers three such speeches to reveal his dire and diabolical machinations against the hero Othello.
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