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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
Book 7
Explanation and Analysis:
For all of the exciting adventures undertaken by Odysseus and his men throughout The Odyssey, the mood of the poem is often melancholy. Odysseus is driven from his home and family for many years due to forces beyond his control, and he frequently speaks about his deep feelings of homesickness, yearning for his wife and son and mourning those loved ones who have passed away in his absence. When Odysseus finds himself in a Phaecian city, for example, King Alcinous wonders if Odysseus is a god in disguise, which prompts a sorrowful meditation from Odysseus:
I’m nothing like the immortal gods who rule the skies,
[...] I’m just a mortal man.
Whom do you know most saddled down with sorrow?
They are the ones I’d equal, grief for grief.
And I could tell a tale of still more hardship,
all I’ve suffered, thanks to the gods’ will [...]
How much I have suffered . . . Oh just let me see
my lands, my serving-men
and the grand high-roofed house —
then I can die in peace.
Related Themes:
