Some readers may define the tone as anger in James Stephen’s “A Glass of Beer.” Others may even say that it leaves an unpleasant tone. By studying the choice of words that Stephen uses to convey the tone of his scene, I will demonstrate that beneath the seemingly outraged situation of the poem lies something funnier. The true tone of “A Glass of Beer” is a sardonic one. Examining each stanza of the poem offers numerous examples where the tone of the poem is sustained by the choice of words. The first few lines, “The lanky hank of a she in the inn over there / Nearly killed me for asking the loan of a glass of beer“ (695), conjures up an unpleasant feeling for most readers. These lines set up the reader to believe that the speaker is outraged. The choice of “lanky hank” was purposefully used to convey an intended image. The definition of “lanky”, as found in Webster’s New World College Dictionary, include “awkwardly tall and lean or long and slender. Obviously the speaker saw those qualities in her looks, and is trying to express his feeling to the reader through imagery.Moving further into the poem, the reader might interpret the tone as funny and not angry. These lines, for instance, a reader might interpret as sardonic: “May she marry a ghost and bear him a kitten, and may / The High King of Glory permit her to get the mange” (678). The direction of the tone has changed after the first few lines to more of a sarcastic, playful tone. Further evidence of this tone is brought to mind when reading: “That parboiled ape, with the toughest jaw you will see” (678). By choosing certain words the author conveys a playful undertone that highlights an otherwise dark poem. At this point, a reader might think that the lady has a strong, unkind attitude towards the speaker.The tone continues as the speaker says, “If I asked her...
