Question

Read the excerpt below from the play Antigone by Sophocles and answer the question that follows.  

CREON: You there—you snake lurking in my house, sucking out my life’s blood so secretly. I’d no idea I was nurturing two pests, who aimed to rise against my throne.


  Creon speaks these lines to Ismene. What does the figurative language reveal about the speaker’s tone?

The tone is passive.

The tone is resigned.

The tone is accusing.

The tone is desperate.

Answer 1

Answer: The tone is accusing.

In this excerpt, Creon is talking to Ismene in an accusing way. He calls her snake, implying that she is sneaky and deceitful. He also accuses her of "sucking out my life's blood" and calls her a "pest." The words are harsh, as Creon believes that Ismene wants to rise against his throne, and therefore, is plotting something that will lead to his demise.

Answer 2

The correct answer for this question is "The tone is accusing." The figurative language that reveals about the speaker’s tone is accusing. Creon is speaking to Ismene using a language and words that are too indecent and accusing, comparing it to a pest that is sucking his life's blood.