Tone/Mood

Tone dictates the mood of the play by giving the authors attitude about the subject. It uses diction and sounds to help give the poem and rhythm and feeling of that tone. The tone can shift depending on the author and what he's trying to say. For example, Coy Mistress is like three different poems, each stanza's diction and sound shifts and changes the mood with it. The First stanza drags along as if he were taking up all the time he could, the second is short and straight to the point as if he had no more time, and the third expresses how he feels and emphasizes "carpe diem" and gives the point of the poem. Therefore the tone always revolves around the main theme of the play and gives a certain attitude about it. However, compared to To the Virgins the tone is very different. Herrick isn't in a rush to get his point across, instead he is just giving out a warning to the women in the world and saying take it or leave it...BUT if you leave it you will lose your prime forever and your life will be a waste. (no big deal) Moreover, the mood in a play can be a bit different as it may shift from character to character. Claudius evokes the arrogance of a king while Hamlet demonstrates his immaturity as a young boy. Other character's moods help balance the play from moving too far in one direction; leaving the overall mood of the play as one that is gloomy and dark until the very end where revenge is fulfilled.