Mood in Poetry
Mood refers to the feelings you get when you read a poem or the atmosphere that surround events in a
poem and that could influence how the reader or the audience feels after reading or listening to the poem.
A poem that centers on a funeral/death will certainly have a sorrowful or sad mood, whereas, one that centers on a wedding or any celebration of achievement should have a happy, contented or jovial mood.
Attitude in Poetry
Attitude refers to the feelings that the persona has towards the subject the persona is talking about. For instance, in the poem, the persona may describe someone who is corrupting children and oppressing people using words like disgusting, blemish, rogue, etc.
The two types of attitude in a poem
We can define attitude into two:
i) The poet's attitude towards his subjects (what he is writing about)
ii) A poet may choose to write about attitudes that are not his. His subjects (characters in his poem) can have their own attitudes towards one another or towards a certain issue.
If the persona uses negative words and satire to ridicule or mock the subjects in the poem, the attitude would be resentful or hateful, or even malicious. On the other hand, if the persona uses polite and loving terms to describe an event or a person like charming, amiable, kind, etc. Then the attitude of the persona towards the subject is approving, welcoming, sympathetic, etc. Note that It is important to use the persona’s words in determining his or her attitude towards the subject.
The tone in a poem
Tone refers to the nature of the voice used in a poem. It is important to know what the poem is talking about to identify the tone of the persona. The tone of the persona is closely influenced by the attitude towards the subject and the general mood of the poem. For instance, if the persona loved the subject and his attitude towards it was loving; if the subject is dead, then the tone would be sad, if the subject is around it might be a loving tone, etc. If the persona is a father politely talking to a son then the tone can be patronizing.
Adjectives for tone, mood, and attitude in poems
Adjectives for tone in poems
Sarcastic, remorseful, obnoxious, dull guilty, alarmed, fresh, dreary, light, startled, sadistic, happy, heavy, horrified, secular, sad, quizzical /inquisitive, disgruntled, political, narcissistic, sardonic/mocking, hurtful, social, devoted, foolish, loving, liberal/democratic, bitter/ sour, sympathetic, mysterious, conservative, angry, intelligent/enlightened /clever, religious, resentful/hateful, irritated despiteful, prayerful, annoyed, suspicious/ doubtful melancholic
Adjectives of attitude in poems
Joyous, angry, sad, cold, warm, agreeable, contemptuous, calm, delightful, kind, trustful, sadistic, cheerful, playful, appreciative, fearful, resentful
Adjectives of mood in poems
Serene/calm, respectful, happy, fearful, sorrowful, somber, melancholic, jovial, reflective/meditative, angry nostalgic, thoughtful
Sample poetry exam Question:
Read the poem below and establish its mood, tone, and attitude.
A Pregnant School Girl
He paid her seat in the matatu
And walked away:
As he disappeared in the city crowd
All her dreams vanished
One more passenger squeezed in
And lit a cigarette
She opened the window
And spat cold saliva out
As the cigarette smoke intensified
She wanted to vomit
She remembered the warm nights
When she was her man’s pet
She remembered the promises
The gifts, the parties, the dances
She remembered her classmates at school
Who envied her expensive shoes
Lipstick, wrist watch, handbag
Which she brought to school
After a weekend with him
The future stood against her
Dark like a night without the moon
And silent like the end of the world
As the matatu sped away from the city
She began to tremble with fear
Wondering what her parents would say
With all hope gone
She felt like a corpse
Going home to be buried
The mood of this poem is sad because when you read you feel sad and a bit sympathetic for the
pregnant school girl who has been used by her lover and dumped and who now feels like a corpse with
no future.
The attitude of the persona towards the schoolgirl is sympathetic. The persona feels sympathy for the
girl and that is why he dwells on the consequences of her condition by saying the future stood against
her; she began to tremble with fear etc.
The tone of the persona is calm/indifferent because the persona remains calm throughout the poem
only showing a bit of sympathy for the girl’s condition but not getting emotionally involved in the life of
the girl.
Enjoyed the article? Click one of the share buttons below...