Question

In 5-7 sentences, explain what the tone/mood is in your science and how it is made clear for the reader.

Oedipus steps out of the royal palaces of Thebes and is greeted by a procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverishes and sorrowful citizens of Thebes. The citizens carry branches wrapped in wool, which they offer to the gods as gifts. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how to put an end it.

Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. The priest responds that the city is dying and asks the king to save Thebes. Oedipus replies that he sees and understands the terrible fate of Thebes, and that no one is more sorrowful than him. He sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how too stop the plague. Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. Creon asks Oedipus if he wants to hear the news in private, but Oedipus insists that all the citizens hear.

Creon then tells what he has learned from the god Apollo, who spoke through the oracle: the murderer of Laius, who ruled Thebes before Oedipus, is in Thebes. He must be driven out in order for the plague to end.

Answer 1

The tone/mood in this excerpt from Oedipus Rex is one of despair, urgency, and impending doom. The author creates this tone through the use of vivid descriptions, such as the impoverished and sorrowful citizens of Thebes, the branches wrapped in wool offered as gifts, and the presence of a devastating plague. The citizens' desperation and plea for Oedipus to save Thebes further emphasize the somber mood. Additionally, Oedipus's acknowledgment of the terrible fate and his claim of being the most sorrowful person in Thebes contribute to the overall tone. The arrival of Creon and the revelation of the oracle's message intensify the urgency and impending sense of tragedy. The tone/mood is made clear to the reader through the characters' dialogue, the descriptions of the scene, and the thematic elements of fate and suffering.

Step-by-step explanation: