Le Morte d’Arthur
by Sir Thomas Malory

Le Morte d’Arthur: 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
Book 18
Explanation and Analysis:

The tone of the book is often nostalgic and sentimental, but it is also tongue-in-check. Malory really seems to believe that everything was more glorious in Arthur's day. For example, in Volume 2, Book 18, Chapter 25, the narrator contrasts 15th-century love with Arthurian love:

Right so fareth love nowadays, soon hot soon cold: this is no stability. But the old love was not so[...]