Question

Read the stanza from the "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow darkness settles on roofs and walls but the sea the sea in the darkness calls: The little waves, with their soft, whaite hands, Efface the footprints in the sands, And the tide rises, the tide falls.
What mood does this stanza envoke in the reader?

A. A Growing sense of anxiety
B. A peaceful sense of completion
C. An overwhelming sense of hostility
D. A relaxed sense of amusement

Answer 1

Your best choice is B! Hope it helps!

Answer 2

In The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls, the authors starts the poem stating how the night is falling on the shore (setting) and there is a traveler is moving quickly on their way to town. Then, in the second stanza, he continues narrating the falling of night's darkness upon the setting, and the calling of the sea. Notice the contrast the author establishes when talking about the sea, almost like saying that the sea is not bad and nothing to worry for (Darkness settles on roofs and walls, But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;). As the night progresses, the waves' little soft white hands wash away the traveler's footprints, and the cycle repeats itself (And the tide rises, the tide falls.)

Although this question is up for interpretation. However, by analyzing the author's life and style, we can conclude in the most accurate inference.

The author had outlived two wives, one to a miscarriage and the second to a fire. Also, he was old when he wrote this poem and published it in a collection that made many references to death and related themes. By this we can agree that the author was familiar with loss and that he might have been feeling like his own death was not so far away, but in an accepting way.

In the poem, he focuses on the circle of life from the title to the last line. His portrayal of this setting, where The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls speaks about how natural death is, and how everything continues to exist after death, one way or another. Because of this, we can conclude that his tone was peaceful. He could also be interpreted as relaxed, but, because he doesn't celebrate the setting or the character but rather only describes them, we know he's not amused.

Therefore, your best answer is option B.