Note to teacher: Introduce students to the difference tone and inflection can make in delivery of a line. Part of this lecture comes from your explanation, but the bulk of the Powerpoint involves student participation. I like to move quickly up and down rows of students when we get to the reading aloud slides. You’ll see what I mean when you get to those slides… Have fun with this!
Understanding Tone It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it.
O What is this?
O Expressing (according to intonation) surprise, frustration, discomfort, longing, disappointment, sorrow, relief, hesitation, etc. Used mainly in imperative or exclamatory sentences or phrases, as in: “O take me back again!” “O for another glimpse of it!” “O the pity of it!” “O dear!” The Oxford English Dictionary Right! It can be all those things. It’s also an actual word!
Subtext An underlying and often distinct theme in a piece of writing or conversation
Ex. of subtext: At your lunch table today, your buddy has three chocolate cookies. You say, “Are you going to eat all of those?” What’s the subtext here? What are you really asking?
Tone A particular quality, pitch, modulation, or inflection of the voice expressing or indicating affirmation, interrogation, hesitation, decision, or some feeling or emotion; vocal expression. The Oxford English Dictionary
O OK, back to…
surprised First student volunteer, say “O”
angry
awe
suspicious
excited
sad
exhausted
lusty
contempt
afraid
Good job! Now stress (or emphasis) is also important in determining tone and meaning.
Stress Relative loudness or force of vocal utterance; a greater degree of vocal force characterizing one syllable as compared with other syllables of the word, or one part of a syllable as compared with the rest; stress-accent. Also, superior loudness of voice as a means of emphasizing one or more of the words of a sentence more than the rest. Oxford English Dictionary
Let’s give this a try. Read the line, emphasizing the word in red. I didn’t say he killed our King.
Some lines from Shakespeare Get ready…more lines are coming around the room.
O, how I love thee! How I dote on thee! (lusty)
O, for a stone-bow, to hit him in the eye! (angry)
O, I am out of breath in this fond chase! (exhausted)
O, I am fortune’s fool! (regret)
O, speak again, bright angel! (lusty)
O lamentable day! (misery)
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! (excited)
O me, O me! My child, my only life. (distraught)
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? (disappointed)
Our play is done! (relief)