What is a speech in which one speaker addresses silent or absent listener?

A speech in which one speaker addresses silent or absent listeners is called a monologue.

Here's a breakdown of why:

* Monologue: A long speech by one person, especially in a play or movie, during which other characters are silent.

* Silent or absent listener: This could be a specific person, a group of people, or even an abstract concept like fate, justice, or the future.

Examples of monologues:

* In plays: Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy, or the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

* In literature: The character's inner thoughts expressed in a novel.

* In real life: A person talking to themselves in a park, or a politician delivering a campaign speech to an empty room.

While the audience might be silent or absent, the speaker is still engaging in a form of communication, sharing their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives.