LESSON 2

Tone and Mood in Poetry

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Identify details or lines that set the speaker’s tone

and the mood of the poem.
Analyze the connotative meaning of lines that
reveal the speaker’s attitude or tone.
Discuss how tone and mood bring out the main
BEFORE READING idea of the poem.

He Whoby
A Poem Sleeps
RonaldOn My Lap
Baytan

ABOUT THE POEM

The poem speaks of one’s dilemma whether to confess
to his male friend his love for him. It is a lyric poem
that explores the interconnection between personal
feelings, societal norms, and decisions.
MAKE CONNECTIONS
Is telling someone you have feelings for them worth it,
even if they tell you that they don’t feel the same?
Telling someone I have feelings for them is worth it to
me, even if they say they don't. Keeping your emotions
hidden from someone is the same as keeping your anger hidden from someone.
That feeling that makes you want to burst just thinking about it. It's better to be
hurt by expressing it than to be hurt by doing nothing and eventually seeing
him/her with someone else. You should take all the risks in life, even if the
outcome is uncertain. If you fail, at least you tried your hardest.
ANALYZE LITERATURE: Tone and Mood

Elements of a poem such as its setting, tone, mood and theme evoke
certain feelings and emotions in readers. These elements are created by the
writer using specific setting, structure and diction. This style contributes to the
overall impact of the poem. In poetry, concepts of tone and mood are related
notions.

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 Tone is the feeling displayed by the author toward the subject of the
poem. Though tone may be conveyed and expressed in a variety of ways, it is
generally either through the attitude of the narrator or writer, subject matter,
characters or events. The tone comes through from the poem’s structure and
vocabulary and helps evoke the mood or establish the atmosphere of the poem.
In other words, the poem’s tone evokes a certain mood in the reader.
Mood refers to the atmosphere that is prevalent in the poem. It is the
feeling created by the poet for the reader through the use of various elements of
a poem such as its setting, tone, voice and theme. A poem generally has one
overall mood, but the types of mood that poetry may exhibit vary greatly. Some
poems have atmospheres of peace and chaos, while others evoke feelings of
doom, fear, jealousy, love and pride.

Describing Tone and Mood

The tone of a poem may be described using a variety of words such as
serious, playful, humorous, formal, informal, angry, satirical, ironical or sad, or
any other kind of appropriate adjective. The mood of the poem may be described
as idealistic, romantic, realistic, optimistic, pessimistic, gloomy, imaginary,
mournful, etc.
The tone might be described
Example:
as optimistic. The words used
“Shall I compare you to a rainbowed shower in the stanza give clues as to
Drawing to earth the very arc of dream, how the author feels about
Or shall I say you are an orchid flower women. Words like:
That fevers men beside a jungle stream?” rainbowed shower, dream,
—Angela Manalang-Gloria, “To Lovely Woman” orchid flower, jungle stream
show that the author or poet
looks at its subject in a
positive way.

Based on the tone, the mood

could be described as
romantic. The positive
description of love and beauty
of a woman creates this
romantic atmosphere of the
“Don’t Mr. Jacobson, The tone might be described as
poem.
Don’t say you’ve found cynical. The words used in the
Paradise in my country, lines give clues as to how the
Because behind the scent of women author feels about how
That put leis ’round your neck, foreigners perceived our
The stinking smell of estuaries country (which is in contrast
with the social realities of the
Suffocate the people of Tondo;”
common Filipino). Words like:
—Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr.,
Don’t, paradise, behind scent of
“My Country’s No Paradise, Mr. Jacobson” women, leis, stinking smell,
CASS-DELL | Literature of thesuffocate,
estuaries, Philippines 2
and Tondo
create contrasting images
which reveal the social ironies
and injustices in the Philippines.
 The poem’s tone creates an atmosphere or
feeling of disgust. The strong contrast of the
good and the bad, the exposed and the hidden
as revealed by the words in the lines creates
this negative kind of mood.

USE READING SKILLS: Understand Literary Elements

Tone is the feeling displayed by the author toward the subject of the poem
while mood the atmosphere that is prevalent in the poem. The author creates the
mood in the following poem by describing details of setting (time and place),
characters, and events. Complete the chart below with details from the poem that
convey the tone and that set the mood for each of the three categories. An example
has been done for you.

Category Details Tone Mood

Setting:
chilly night sad The speaker feels
dejected as his male
friend sleeps on his
lap.
Characters:

Event

DURING READING

He Who Sleeps
A Poem OnBaytan
by Ronald My Lap
1
My friend
Note the Facts
2
who sleeps on my lap
3
loves someone else. Who is the speaker in the poem?
4
He says he is a man
5
and a man needs a woman __________________________________

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Analyze of the Philippines
Literature 3

Tone and Mood

What atmosphere is created by the
6
and I disagree.
7
We argue until he grows
8
tired of talking
9
and sleeps on my lap

10
On this chilly night.
11
And I sigh,
12
knowing he loves
13
someone else
14
but still sleeps
15
gently on my lap,
16
innocent, not knowing
17
that I am here
18
slaughtering
19
one wicked wish
20
that when he wakes up
21
I shall be his dream.

Tone and Mood

How does the repetition of the line
(he) sleeps on my lap add to the tone
and mood of the poem?
____________________________________________
__________________________________________

AFTER READING

Name: _____________________________ Subject:____________________

Yr/Cr/Sec:________________________ Date:_______________________

READING CHECK

Grasp the poem’s full implications and suggestions to answer the following
questions.

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1. How would you characterize or describe the male friend of the speaker based
on lines 1-5?
His friend refuses to entertain other sexual possibilities and is also in love with someone
else, a girl. In terms of sexual relationships, his friend believes that only those between a
man and a woman are appropriate. As a result, we will assume that the guy is unaware that
the persona is homosexual. Or, should we say, he'd rather forget about it and carry on as if
nothing had happened? He is content with their relationship and does not want to change
anything, so he refuses to discuss it further, which is why he would rather sleep than discuss
the issue. 

2. What do the lines “We argue until he grow/ tired of talking/ and sleeps on my
lap” imply?
On this chilly night, we argue until he gets tired of talking and falls asleep on my lap. The
poem also has a sad tone due to a dream that will never come true. This statement implies
that his friend is not open about his feelings about love. His friend either sleeps it off or is
unconcerned about the situation.

3. What mood or atmosphere is created by the images in lines 10-15?

The mood or atmosphere created by the images in lines 10-15 is hopeless
because the speaker is pessimistic about the situation, knowing that his friend
believes in same-sex relationships in the opposite way that he does, and knowing
that his friend already has a loved one. Even when he was with his best friend, he
felt lonely because he was afraid of his future without him.
4. In the second stanza, what do the words “slaughtering”, and “wicked wish”
suggest? Explain your answer.
These words and phrases give the impression that he is afraid to admit his
feelings to the person. The slow motion of the persona's voice here conveys
emotion and sadness. These are heavy words for describing emotions, which
means that because he cannot admit his feelings to his best friend, he is suffering
to the point where his anger at himself is barely definable by words.
5. For what does the line “his dream” stand? Explain your answer.
His dream represents the speaker's friends' perspectives on relationships. The
speaker wants his friends to understand that same-sex relationships should be
normalized. He essentially wants his friend to be with him for the rest of their
lives and to take their friendship to the next level, which is marriage.
6. How does the speaker feel for his male friend? Provide words or lines to
support your answer.
He loved his friend more than he loved himself, to the point where he was willing
to take the risk of his life to show him the depth of his feelings. Once again, he is
concerned about the consequences of the revelation. This is evident in the
second stanza, where the speaker is unable to express his feelings to his friend,
even face to face, despite the fact that his friend is also in love with someone else,
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and a girl at that. This is evident in the first stanza, where he is arguing with a
friend about sexuality and relationships.

7. Why is the speaker hesitant to tell his male friend about what he feels for
him?
First, the speaker is aware that his friend is already in love with someone, and he
does not wish to interfere with his friend's preferences in his life. The next
reason is that his friend is not accepting of homosexual people and the concept of
same-sex relationships, possibly because the community in which he lives
opposes such behavior or considers it to be a violation of their religious and
cultural beliefs. The final and most pressing reason is that he is afraid of being
rejected and that their friendship could end in an instant.
8. How does the repetition of the line “sleeps gently on my lap” affect the mood
of the poem?
This statement suggests that the friend has complete faith in the persona. Their
friendship is far too deep, and they are completely at ease with one another. The
repetition of these statements has an unfavorable effect on the poem's overall
mood, which is one of love.
9. What is the main idea that is brought out by the tone and mood of the poem?
The mood and tone bring out the entire point of the poem by adding a tragic and
sad element to it. The tone and mood of the poem also add conclusion to the
readers because it shows hopelessness as the persona loves his male friend but
is unable to express it fully due to their opposing beliefs. He thinks otherwise.
His male friend believes that a man requires the company of a woman. He argues
with his friend, but to no avail, so we can conclude that this is a doomed love.

10. What larger/social issue is explored in the poem?

Homophobia is the larger social issue addressed in the poem. The bias of society
toward culture and tradition does not give people the right to identify as who
they are on the inside.

THINK AND REFLECT

1. When is the right time to tell someone you really like or love them? Explain
your answer.

The best time to tell someone you really like or love them is every day because
there is no such thing as a perfect time. You simply must take any chances you
can because tomorrow is unknown. Anything can happen right now that won't
happen tomorrow. If you have the time, go ahead and do it. Give everything you
have, but make sure you don't lose it all.

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2. What happens if you hold in your emotions?

Emotions are like bricks that we carry around with us. The more emotions
you hold, the more weight you will carry and the heavier you will feel. That
is why, after we release our anger or cry it out to someone, we feel very
free, as if we have released a heavy baggage in our lives. If you do not
release those emotions, there are two possible outcomes: one is that you
will break or, worse, die. When you are breaking, you will lose yourself and
will require mental health treatment. The other is when you are unable to
cope with your emotions and commit suicide. So, assess yourself now, look
yourself in the mirror, express your emotions to those you trust, and don't
let your emotions weigh you down like bricks on your shoulders.

3. How does society influence self-expression?

For me, society defines self-expression because the more society devalues
being unusual or different from the norms, the more difficult it is for
anyone to express what is deep inside their thoughts and feelings. The
more open society is about this type of issue, the more people will be able
to come out of their shells and be free to be themselves. It is the acceptance
of society that determines whether or not more people can freely express
themselves.

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Tone and Mood

A. Read each mood below. Decide whether the mood is positive or negative.
Write a P on the space if it is positive and an N if it is negative. Use your
dictionary or context clue skills if you come across a word you are unsure of. The
first one is done for you.

_____1. Hopeful _____6. Reassured _____11. Composed

_____2. Lonely _____7. Heartbroken _____12. Restless
_____3. Embarrassed _____8. Blissful _____13. Glorious
_____4. Passionate _____9. Excited _____14. Triumphant
_____5. Dissatisfied _____10. Oscillating _____15. Somber

B. Read the poems and answer the questions that follow.

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 Ermita in the Rain
Angela Manalang-Gloria

It is not the rain that wanly

Sobs its tale across the bay,
Not the sobs of lone acacias
Trembling darkly in the gray,

Not the groans of harried breakers

Flinging tatters on the shore,
But the phantom of your voice that
Stays me dreaming at my door.

1. Which word best describes the tone of this poem?

A. Somber C. Frustrated
B. Inspired D. Bored

2. Which word best describes the mood of this poem?

A. Romantic C. Dissatisfied
B. Nostalgic D. Restless

Florante at Laura (an excerpt)

Francisco Baltazar
Kung ang isalubong sa iyong pagdating
Ay masayang mukha’t may pakitang giliw
Lalong pag-ingata’t kaaway na lihim
Siyang isaisip na kakabakahin.

1. Which word best describes the tone of this poem?

A. Somber C. Angry
B. Cynical D. Sad

2. Which word best describes the atmosphere of the poem?

A. Pessimistic C. Cheerful
B. Fearsome D. Confusing

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