Question

Read the passage from "Ode on a Grecian Urn."

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
What little town by river or sea shore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.

How does word choice affect the tone in this section of the poem?

The tone changes from curious to lonely.
The tone changes from admiring to bored.
The tone changes from irritated to peaceful.
The tone changes from unhappy to reassured.

Answer 1

A. The tone changes from curious to lonely.
I just had it on my test so yess I'm sure this is correct :)

Answer 2

The fourth stanza from the poem depicts the sacrifice of a cow (heifer) and the poet writes that the sacrifice is holy. It is meant for the god because it is dressed with garlands. In the next lines the poet questions from where are these people coming from. It is a little town which is left alone and desolate after all these people left. Therefore, the tone changes from curious to a lonely one. The correct answer is the first option.