The Man Without a Country

Question

by Hackett, Walter (adaptation)

PROSECUTOR: To sum up my case as prosecutor on this board of court martial: Gentlemen, I accuse the defendant, Lieutenant Philip Nolan, of the crime of treason against the United States of America. He is guilty of actively abetting the most odious political plot in the entire history of our beloved country. (Loudly) I tell you we have not seen his kind since the days of the infamous Benedict Arnold.

DEFENSE COUNSEL: Objection!

JUDGE: Objection overruled.

DEFENSE: But, sir, I can present conclusive evidence that will prove that Philip Nolan—

1 of 7
Question
Use the scene to answer the question.

How does the playwright develop the mood in this scene? Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

The narrator’s lines at the end of the scene are foreboding.
The narrator’s lines at the end of the scene are foreboding.

The dialogue in the scene is fast paced with a lot of exclamations.
The dialogue in the scene is fast paced with a lot of exclamations.

The courtroom setting provides a formal backdrop to the scene.
The courtroom setting provides a formal backdrop to the scene.

The stage directions in the scene depict the characters’ emotions running high.
The stage directions in the scene depict the characters’ emotions running high.

The scene feels crowded with a lot of characters.

Answer 1

The playwright develops the mood in this scene through the following two correct answers:

1. The dialogue in the scene is fast paced with a lot of exclamations.
2. The stage directions in the scene depict the characters’ emotions running high.

These elements contribute to a tense and dramatic atmosphere, highlighting the seriousness of the charges against Lieutenant Philip Nolan.