The Shift in Tone in the Poem "The War in the Mud"

Which lines most clearly mark the shift from the first to the second tone identified in Part A?

A) His head is crowned with a helmet of mud. / He wears it well. (lines 13–14)
B) He has set a new style in clothing; / He has introduced the chic of mud. (lines 16–17)
C) This is the hymn of the mud—the obscene, the filthy, the putrid, / The vast liquid grave of our armies. (lines 32–33)
D) The beautiful glistening golden mud that covers the hills like satin; / The mysterious gleaming silvery mud that is spread like enamel over the valleys. (lines 48–49)

Final answer: Option C most clearly marks the shift in tone in the poem by using intense language to evoke strong emotions, contrasting with previous tones.

Answer:

Option C most clearly marks the shift in tone in the poem by using intense language to evoke strong emotions, contrasting with previous tones.

In poetry, a shift in tone is often marked by a change in language or imagery that signals a move to a different emotional state or perspective. In the provided options regarding the lines that best mark the tone shift from the first to the second tone, option C (This is the hymn of the mud—the obscene, the filthy, the putrid, / The vast liquid grave of our armies) most clearly represents a tone shift. This shift is signaled through the use of intense, vivid language that evokes strong emotional responses and conveys a sense of gravity and repulsion, forming a contrast with any previous lighter tones or more neutral descriptions.