The Role Of Tone In Literature

If someone included words and phrases like “loathe” and “forced to do” in the context of essays, could a guess be made about their disposition? The attitude of a speaker or author towards an audience or subject is the definition of the term “tone.” Tone can be expressed through a certain choice of words, also through choice of syntax and diction. Furthermore, tone affects how a reader reads literature by influencing emotions and creating mood. Using such specific words can help readers understand more about certain traits and their temperaments. When it comes to different translations of a piece of literature, each translator’s own bias may affect the tone. In other words, their bias possibly will change the meaning of the story. Languages
deMan’s syntax remains constant throughout most of his passage; all his sentences are medium in length until his final statement that makes the entire second paragraph. Adding a significantly longer sentence builds up the fruitfulness and complexity of the story. Moreover, with his use of commas, his sentence is broken up into easily understandable ideas. The reader’s attention is captured by the pauses, forcing thoughts to be made about what is read. An example includes the following quote by deMan: “… perhaps the uneasiness of her new position, or perhaps the disturbance caused by the presence of this man, had sufficed to make her believe that she at last felt that wondrous passion….” It is understood this sentence that Emma is experiencing two different emotions that may contribute to the gratitude she feels in her position. Similar points likewise comes across in Steegmuller’s translation who uses commas in the same style. In contrast, the meaning slightly changes with Marmur’s absence of commas in the quote, “the uneasiness at a new role or perhaps the disturbance caused by the presence of this man, had been sufficient to make her believe….” Lessening their prominence, Emma’s emotions are grouped together in a continuous phrase. The meaning of the passage then changes to focus on her ideas of love, with less emphasis on the causes. Specifically, the following phrase
In this case with Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, the reader’s perception of Emma changes when reading the different translations. Mildred Marmur’s emotional tone allows the audience to sympathize with Emma’s emotions and anticipate following events through the use of loaded language and her syntax style. Likewise, both F. Steegmuller and P. deMan’s use diction and syntax for emphatic effect when translating Madame Bovary. Long sentences are used for adding ideas and are either broken up with commas, or not, to shift focus. In the end, each passage is both similar and different in meaning but it all comes down to the choice of