This is an analysis of the poem To Arms! that begins with:

World! to arms!
Do you shrink?... full text

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: ABcdcdefefB Aggggdddda BhihigjgjB Acecejgjga ABkdkdldldba aXmemgggg
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 11,10,10,10,12,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 101 111 111010010110 01001001001 10100101100010 11001101011 1010011110010 11001011011 1010010010010 01001011011 111 101 1111011010010 11011101101 011010011010 01011101001 0111110110110 01010111001 011010100010 0101111001 101 111 110110011110 01011011011 1111010110110 110011011001 1010010010010 01001011001 0111010110110 11011101111 111 101 1110010010010 11001011011 010110111110 11001011111 1110010110011 11111001011 0110111101011 11001001001 101 101 111 110111010110 01011101001 1010010010010 01001011101 1111010100010 01111001011 10101000010010 11110001001 101 101 101 0111010010010 01011111001 1111010110010 01011011101 10010111101010 10101001001 1011010110010 11111011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 422
  • Average number of words per stanza: 75
  • Amount of lines: 62
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of, you, your, shrink are repeated.

    The author used the same word world at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines arms is repeated).

    The poet repeated the same word arms at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase shrink connects the lines.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of To Arms!;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Alfred Austin