#8 Tone/Mood

Although tone and mood can often be categorizes as being similar, the two are very different and represent emotions felt by the speaker and by the reader. Tone represents the speaker’s attitude, while the mood reflects the reader’s experience as a result of the speaker’s attitude. A great example of this difference is made clear in Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”. The tone of this poem, as in the speaker’s attitude toward the subject, is initially quixotic in that the speaker portrays time as everlasting. He asserts that he would spend hundreds of years praising her body parts. (13-15) Then while the previous quote might instill a satisfied mood in the mind of the reader, there is a change in tone to being more vicious and severe as the speaker alludes to what will happen if his “mistress” goes through life without being proactive and taking advantage of the present time. In the mix of all of this, the mood, or the feeling the reader experiences, plays a big part. The initial mood that corresponds with the quixotic tone is euphoric and almost so pleased due to all of the speaker’s impractical promises. Also, a depressing and horrific mood is felt by the reader due to the speaker’s severe tone. An example of this would be when the speaker says that his coy mistress would be alone in a “vault” where “worms shall try that long preserved virginity”(27-28). Again, the use of the words, “vault” and “worms” depicts a frightful image that dutifully addresses the tone and mood of the poem, and specifically the second stanza.  

#7 Diction

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, each character’s diction helps portray the character’s emotions and allows the reader to be ready to perceive each character’s unique identity. The diction of the queen differs from the diction of Hamlet, himself. For example, in act one, scene one, the very touchy subject of the death of Hamlet’s father is being discussed. Both the queen and Hamlet react separately; this difference in their reactions is seen in their different uses of diction. On the one hand, the Queen responds almost unaffectedly by stating that death is “common” and that “all that lives must die.” In opposition to the queen’s insensitive reaction, Hamlet retorts that “it [ his father’s death]is” a big deal. Their opposite reactions help the reader identity with their individual characters. For example, the Queen’s diction and her seemingly unconcerned responses actually reflect her nature to put things off and to lack proactivity. As the play progresses, this assumption becomes fact. Similarly, Hamlet’s uneasy character and tenseness of diction in the first few pages foreshadows his uneasy character that persists later on in the play. Moreover, as demonstrated by the examples from Hamlet, the diction used in poetry, separately by each character, gives the reader a frame of reference for identifying with the characters and their unique emotions. 

#6 Imagery/Figurative Language

The use of figurative language and imagery in poetry help paint a picture of the moods and themes the poem is trying to portray. E.e Cummings’ poem “Ponder” employs different techniques of imagery and figurative language. For example, personification is used when the speaker describes “the stone cringes clinging to the stone”(L 4-5). Here the use of personification helps the image come alive and helps the reader paint a visual image. Next, imagery is very strong in “Ponder”; this is especially true with the powerful language that is used to describe the “motheaten forum” is mentioned. As the poem continues, many more aspects of imagery can be recognized, evidently with phrases such as “vertical worthless” and “horizontal business”. Additionally, the use of “horizontal business” suggests a possible euphemism by disguising the actual implications of the term. In a unique way  these devices evoke emotions, feelings and, meaning through simple words and phrases. Moreover, the elements contained in imagery and figurative language help the poem speak out to the reader and assist the reader in attaining the complete meaning of the poem. 

#5 Sound

Shelly's poem "Ozymandias" employs many of the techniques of sound. Specifically the poem makes use of enjambment. A majority of the poem flows very nicely with few punctuations or stops. This helps support the cheerful and more positive aspects of the poem. However, in order to emphasize a significant poem within the poem, Shelly makes use of caesura with the line “Nothing besides remains”. With this line, the nice flow comes to an abrupt stop. In addition to Shelly’s use of a caesura, the poem contains harsh sounding words such as “cold command” and “sneer”. The sounds of these words causes the reader to stop mid-way into the line. The use of “cold command” gives off not only a harsh sounds, but also an eerie feeling. Similarly, the s sound in the word “sneer” is very strong and adds to the mood of the poem.