Tone & Voice Devices
Master how poets express attitude, personality, and emotional coloring through their word choices and style.
π Why Tone & Voice Matter in Poetry
Tone and voice reveal the personality behind the poem. XAT frequently asks about the speaker’s attitude, the poem’s atmosphere, and word choice β making these devices essential for success.
Tone = Speaker’s Attitude | Mood = Reader’s Feeling | Diction = Word Choice
Tone
/toΚn/ β’ TOHNDefinition
Tone is the speaker’s attitude toward the subject, audience, or situation β conveyed through word choice, imagery, and style.
Think of tone as the “emotional color” of the speaker’s voice. It’s HOW they say what they say.
Common Tones in Poetry
Joyful
Happy, celebratory
Hopeful
Optimistic
Reverent
Respectful, awe
Nostalgic
Longing for past
Reflective
Thoughtful
Ironic
Saying opposite
Melancholic
Sad, sorrowful
Bitter
Resentful
Cynical
Distrustful
XAT Exam Strategy
Most common question: “What is the tone of the poem?” Use SPECIFIC words.
Use precise tone words: “melancholic” not “sad”; “reverent” not “nice.”
Tone can SHIFT within a poem β note changes from beginning to end.
Mood
/muΛd/ β’ MOODDefinition
Mood is the emotional atmosphere of a poem β the feeling it creates in the reader.
Mood is created through imagery, setting, diction, and rhythm.
Tone vs Mood
Example
Diction
/ΛdΙͺk.ΚΙn/ β’ DIK-shunDefinition
Diction is the overall word choice and vocabulary level a poet uses β formal, informal, technical, colloquial, etc.
Diction reveals the speaker’s education, background, and attitude.
Types of Diction
Formal
Elevated, sophisticated
Informal
Casual, everyday
Colloquial
Regional, conversational
Archaic
Old-fashioned
Technical
Specialized jargon
Poetic
Lyrical, elevated
Same Idea, Different Diction
| Diction Type | How They Say “He Died” |
|---|---|
| Formal | “He has departed this mortal coil” |
| Informal | “He passed away” |
| Colloquial | “He kicked the bucket” |
| Archaic | “He hath met his end” |
Voice
/vΙΙͺs/ β’ VOYSSDefinition
Voice is the distinctive personality and style that comes through in the poem β the unique way the speaker “sounds.”
Voice = Tone + Diction + Syntax + Perspective combined.
Types of Poetic Voice
First Person (“I”)
Personal, intimate
“I wandered lonely as a cloud”
Third Person
Observational, distant
“He walked through the valley…”
Dramatic
Character persona
Browning’s Duke
Collective “We”
Speaking for a group
“We shall overcome”
Connotation
/ΛkΙn.ΙΛteΙͺ.ΚΙn/ β’ kon-uh-TAY-shunDefinition
Connotation is the emotional or cultural associations a word carries beyond its dictionary definition (denotation).
“Slim,” “skinny,” and “slender” all mean thin β but carry very different feelings.
Same Meaning, Different Feeling
XAT Exam Strategy
When asked about word choice, consider WHY the poet chose THIS word over synonyms.
Connotation reveals tone β positive words = positive tone, and vice versa.