TONE AND MOOD definitions

Tone 

the author's attitude, stated or implied, toward a subject.

OR:  The apparent emotional state, or “attitude,” of the speaker/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the language of the piece (toward the subject/topic in question). Tone refers only to the narrative voice; not to the author or characters. It must be described or identified in order to be analyzed properly; it would be incorrect to simply state, “The author uses tone.” . Tone may be playful, formal, intimate, angry, serious, ironic, outraged, baffled, tender, serene, depressed, etc

The poem has a bitter and sardonic tone, revealing the speaker’s anger and resentment.

The tone of Gulliver’s narration is unusually matter-of-fact, as he seems to regard these bizarre and absurd occurrences as ordinary or commonplace.

Mood 

the climate of feeling in a literary work.

OR: The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece, within the setting. Mood refers to the general sense or feeling which the reader is supposed to get from the text; it does not, as a literary element, refer to the author’s or characters’ state of mind. (Note that mood is a literary element, not a technique; the mood must therefore be described or identified. It would be incorrect to simply state, “The author uses mood.”)

The mood of Macbeth is dark, murky and mysterious, creating a sense of fear and uncertainty.