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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
Part 1: Scene 1
Explanation and Analysis:
Throughout the play, the tone is set by the dialogue and O’Neill’s stage directions describing the characters and setting. The tone is somber and resigned at the beginning, growing increasingly more frantic, angry, and passionate as the events of the story unfold.
The tone is immediately set in the first scene with O’Neill’s initial description of Eben:
His face is well-formed, good-looking, but its expression is resentful and defensive. His defiant, dark eyes remind one of a wild animal’s in captivity. Each day is a cage in which he finds himself trapped but inwardly unsubdued. There is a fierce repressed vitality about him.
Eben is described as "good-looking" and young, but his resentment and anger are clear. At the beginning of the story, Eben is harboring furious resentment for Cabot’s treatment of his mother, Maw. Cabot forced Maw to perform manual labor on the farm in addition to housework, eventually leading to her death. This causes the “fierce repressed vitality” in Eben and his hatred of Cabot. However, he feels resigned and somber, trapped at the farm “in a cage.” This feeling of being trapped at the farm extends to the other characters as well: Simeon, Peter, Eben, and even Cabot feel somber and resigned, working difficult manual labor to keep the farm going while feeling isolated.
The tone shifts, becoming more angry and frantic as the characters’ resentment builds up and overflows. At first, Eben is furious with Abbie for coming into what he views as his home and declaring herself to be his new mother. When Abbie and Eben first get together in the parlor, the tone of their conversation is frantic and passionate, a mix of anger and desire driving their erratic behavior, both at this moment and throughout the second half of the play.
Then suddenly wild passion overcomes her. She kisses him lustfully again and again and he flings his arms about her and returns her kisses. Suddenly, as in the bedroom, he frees himself from her violently and springs to his feet. He is trembling all over, in a strange state of terror. Abbie strains her arms toward him with fierce pleading.
Their mutual desire and Eben’s violent anger coincide at this moment. The tone is passionate, fierce, and angry. O’Neill’s choice of diction makes this evident as he describes their kiss with “wild passion” and Eben “violently” freeing himself from her kiss “in a strange state of terror.” This creates a frantic tone with harsh language and short, punctuated sentences. Eben and Abbie’s interactions in the last half of the play are all written with this same frantic, angry tone.
Related Themes:
Part 2: Scene 3
Explanation and Analysis:
Throughout the play, the tone is set by the dialogue and O’Neill’s stage directions describing the characters and setting. The tone is somber and resigned at the beginning, growing increasingly more frantic, angry, and passionate as the events of the story unfold.
The tone is immediately set in the first scene with O’Neill’s initial description of Eben:
His face is well-formed, good-looking, but its expression is resentful and defensive. His defiant, dark eyes remind one of a wild animal’s in captivity. Each day is a cage in which he finds himself trapped but inwardly unsubdued. There is a fierce repressed vitality about him.
Eben is described as "good-looking" and young, but his resentment and anger are clear. At the beginning of the story, Eben is harboring furious resentment for Cabot’s treatment of his mother, Maw. Cabot forced Maw to perform manual labor on the farm in addition to housework, eventually leading to her death. This causes the “fierce repressed vitality” in Eben and his hatred of Cabot. However, he feels resigned and somber, trapped at the farm “in a cage.” This feeling of being trapped at the farm extends to the other characters as well: Simeon, Peter, Eben, and even Cabot feel somber and resigned, working difficult manual labor to keep the farm going while feeling isolated.
The tone shifts, becoming more angry and frantic as the characters’ resentment builds up and overflows. At first, Eben is furious with Abbie for coming into what he views as his home and declaring herself to be his new mother. When Abbie and Eben first get together in the parlor, the tone of their conversation is frantic and passionate, a mix of anger and desire driving their erratic behavior, both at this moment and throughout the second half of the play.
Then suddenly wild passion overcomes her. She kisses him lustfully again and again and he flings his arms about her and returns her kisses. Suddenly, as in the bedroom, he frees himself from her violently and springs to his feet. He is trembling all over, in a strange state of terror. Abbie strains her arms toward him with fierce pleading.
Their mutual desire and Eben’s violent anger coincide at this moment. The tone is passionate, fierce, and angry. O’Neill’s choice of diction makes this evident as he describes their kiss with “wild passion” and Eben “violently” freeing himself from her kiss “in a strange state of terror.” This creates a frantic tone with harsh language and short, punctuated sentences. Eben and Abbie’s interactions in the last half of the play are all written with this same frantic, angry tone.
Related Themes:
