What is Tone and Mood in Poetry?
Amid poetry’s vast array of renowned elements, there are two terms often thrown around when analyzing a poem: tone and mood. While both are integral to its whole, they are two distinct topics that work together to create the whole poem.
Tone can be defined as the narrator’s or poet’s attitude towards the poem’s subject. It kicks in when a poet has the need to project a certain attitude or opinion about the text’s subject. It may be happy, sad, humorous, serious, or even angry.
Think about it like this, when you decide to share news or a statement, you have a tacit message of how you or someone else feels or think about it. For example, if you are saying something positive about a certain topic, you are communicating gratification towards it. On the other hand, if you are commenting something negative, then you are expressing disapproval.
In poetry, various writers such as E.E Cummings, Maya Angelou, and William Butler Yeats use tone to communicate feelings to their reader. It influences the reader to experience the same emotion that the poet is feeling—to sway them to feel the same way through words.
However, there is a stark difference between tone and mood. If tone is the poet’s attitude towards the subject, mood is the atmosphere that the poem sets. In other words, mood is the emotion that the whole poem evokes.
Unlike its counterpart, mood sets the overall psychological and emotional feeling of the poem. It is not directly expressed by the poet, but it is the reader’s perception of the poem itself. Therefore, when the reader tries to interpret the poem, it doesn’t take into account the poet’s opinion, but the vibes it gives off.
Techniques Poets Use to Establish Mood
Poets are talented and effective communicators. They understand the power of tone and mood. They are able to coax their reader’s emotions simply by using the right words. Here are some of the techniques poets use to invoke mood:
- Word Choice: Selecting words that convey specific feelings and emotions.
- Imagery: Utilizing evocative descriptions to give the poem a more striking effect.
- Rhyme: Employing words that summon associations. If there’s an internal rhyme, it is easier to create a stronger mood.
The poet can also explore perspective and point of view when creating mood. It helps the audience better understand the poem.
How Tone and Mood Affect Reader Response
As we have mentioned before, mood and tone come from the poet; whereas, reader response is the connection established between the poem, the reader’s emotion, and his or her reaction to the poem. For example, a poem with a sorrowful feel can invoke compassion and empathy. Meaning, when the reader reads the poem, he or she feels an emotive sensation in his or her heart.
The reader’s response is also based on the poem’s subject matter. The reader might be delighted if the poem has a pleasant theme, while the reader may feel unsettled if the poem’s theme pushes beyond his or her comfort zone. Yet both of these have the same desired effects, which is to stimulate a reaction from the reader. Writers and poets are adept in making people feel one way or another about their works.
Creating a Connection with Poetry
The use of tone and mood is essential in poetry. They are the core of what makes a poem enjoyable and important. A poem’s tone and mood can create a feeling of connection to the reader. Additionally, they can also suggest a particular direction determined by the poet.
Tone and mood affect how readers react to a poem. They bring out the artist’s secrets and the poems speak instead of the poet. To ensure that the poem reaches its full potential, the poet must choose the right words to set the right tone and mood.
Metaphors and Other Literary Devices for Tone and Mood
Poets also use metaphors, similes, personification, and other figurative language devices to indicate the desired tone and mood. Metaphors, for instance, are a great way to establish mood because it can paint an explicit visual for the readers. It also allows for a clearer connection between the reader and the poem.
Personification especially brings life to the poem. It creates a sense of unity between the poem, the characters in it, and the reader. It also gives the poem movement, momentum and meaning. They lend expression to the emotions of the poem and make them more tangible.
Varied Sentence Structure and Language
Poets also make use of varied sentence structure and language. They take careful consideration of the words they use and how they use them together. Through language, a poem can become more vivid, more colorful, and more descriptive.
Solid word choice can inject fresh new life into your poem. It creates a resonance between the reader and the poem’s underlying message. For instance, if the poem has a bouncy and lively cadence, then the meter of its sentences should reflect the same vibe. Interesting words can also add emphasis to the underlying mood.
Using Unconventional Poetic Techniques
Most conventional poets use habitual forms and metres when writing, but the incorporation of unconventional techniques can also have a great effect on the tone and mood of the poem. Besides the use of varied sentence structure and language, surrealism and language manipulation are tools for creating a unique tone and mood.
Surrealism challenges readers’ perception of reality and gives them an altered perspective on the poem’s subject. Language manipulation, on the other hand, makes use of abstraction, ambiguity, and word play. Together they enhance the poem’s tone and mood and make it more intriguing.
Conclusion
Overall, poems are an effective way to transmit emotion. Through a poem’s tone and mood, the poet can express his feelings toward a concept, an observer, or a situation. When done right, a poem can titillate readers as it leads them through a compelling story.
