Literary notes about sombre (AI summary)
The term "sombre" functions in literature as a versatile tool to evoke a mood of introspection, gravity, and often impending melancholy. It is used to describe both the tone of a speaker and the atmosphere of a setting, thereby deepening the narrative’s emotional depth. A character’s voice might be painted as sombre to emphasize a reflective or burdened state [1, 2], while physical surroundings—ranging from dimly lit spaces to desolate urban landscapes—are rendered with a sombre quality that enhances the sense of mystery or despair [3, 4, 5]. Moreover, the word also surfaces in descriptions of facial expressions and personal attitudes, suggesting internal conflict or weariness, as seen when moods shift in quiet, reflective moments [6, 7, 8].
- “For all life,” he said, in a sombre tone.
— from Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - “You say you didn’t,” he said, very sombre.
— from Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - Nevertheless, it was a sombre place of which one had had a glimpse.
— from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo - As soon as they had penetrated into this sombre, dimly lit cavity they uttered cries of astonishment and admiration.
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant - Oh, first step that must be descended, how sombre art thou!
— from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo - That evening Mr. Utterson came home to his bachelor house in sombre spirits and sat down to dinner without relish.
— from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson - His dress was quiet and sombre—a black frock-coat, dark trousers, and a touch of color about his necktie.
— from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - He wondered every time at his sombre and enigmatic impression and, mistrusting himself, put off finding the explanation of it.
— from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
