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Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone of Henrik Ibsen’s drama A Doll’s House is harsh and truthful—bitter and raw. Ibsen does not condemn the women in the play for their choices, no matter how controversial and disruptive they seem. Nora’s slow awakening to the problems in her marriage and her dissatisfaction with her life is treated with grace and understanding. By ending the play with Nora’s decision to leave her husband and three children (rather than dwelling in the aftermath of that decision), Ibsen avoids making any sort of direct critique of her choices.
It is worth noting, however, that this choice did not stop Ibsen’s contemporary audiences and even his actors from complaining so vociferously that he created an alternate, more conciliatory ending. Just as Ibsen does not overly condemn or praise Nora, he likewise treats Mrs. Linde with neutrality, presenting both women’s versions of femininity as equally valid. At the same time, he plainly demonstrates the thought processes behind the men’s (especially Torvald’s) misogynistic views regarding women, marriage, and money. Striving for a degree of objectivity, the playwright presents each character as flawed, presenting multiple dimensions and leaving it up to the audience to decide how to add up the sum of their parts.
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