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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 The Castle of Otranto is serious, solemn and foreboding, as every event is narrated somberly and as if it is incontrovertible truth. The frosty and dour voice of Walpole's narrator is implacable and unchanging throughout the book. Its seeming refusal to be provoked into flowery description or emotional language by events of the plot contributes significantly to the novel's suspenseful atmosphere. The reader can never guess what is coming. The third-person omniscient narrator speaks didactically and formally to the reader. They suggest moralistic interpretations of the actions of characters with their use of adjectives. This moralizing is not subtle: the narrator often directly tells the reader when a character is "good" (like Father Jerome) or "cruel" (like Manfred).
The tone of the novel is also affected by the Prefaces to the First and Second editions that frame it. The reader is directly instructed by the author that they are reading an ancient and allegorical tale which they should take seriously. The narrator's ponderous language also makes the often sensational elements of the novel seem even more fantastical, as they drily recount the extreme measures Walpole's characters take to achieve their goals.
This consistently chilly delivery also makes the moments of comedy, satire, and parody in the novel even funnier: they have the effect of someone telling a joke with a straight face. The narrative voice clinically recounts instances of hysterical silliness, the catty gossip of servants, and even the castle seeming to fart loudly as it emits "vapors" from within. As so much of the novel is dramatic and dark, these comedic interactions seem even lighter by comparison.
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