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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Key Examples in Death in Venice
Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of Death in Venice is defined by a sense of frustrated yearning and desire, especially in the later sections of the novel, where Aschenbach's obsession with Tadzio leads him to behave in an irrational and irresponsible manner. This feverish mood is evident in a passage in which Mann describes Aschenbach's growing "hysteria" as he looks for some opportunity to interact with Tadzio directly:
Nothing is stranger or more ticklish than a relationship between people who know each other only by sight, who meet and observe each other daily—no, hourly—and are nevertheless compelled to keep up the pose of an indifferent stranger [...] Between them there exists a disquiet, a strained curiosity, the hysteria of an unsatisfied, unnaturally repressed need for recognition and exchange of thoughts—and also, especially, a sort of nervous respect. For, one person loves and honors another only as long as he is unable to assess him, and yearning is a result of a lack of knowledge.
Related Themes:
