Jude the Obscure

by Thomas Hardy

Jude the Obscure: Tone 1 key example

Definition of Tone

The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Part 1, Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis:

The tone of the novel is mournful, reflective and impassioned. From the beginning of Jude the Obscure, Hardy's third-person omniscient narrator rails against the cruelty and unfairness of Jude and Sue's world. They alternately poke fun at it and directly criticize the characters' circumstances. They also frequently interject  to comment on things being unjust. This passionate advocacy isn't obvious right from the start, however.