This is an analysis of the poem Oh Who Is That Young Sinner that begins with:

Oh who is that young sinner with the handcuffs on his wrists?
And what has he been after that they groan and shake their fists?... 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: aabb ccbb ddbb eebb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 11011100011101 11110101111111 110001101010101 111010101010001 101010101010110 000111101010100 11000101110101 101010100010001 101011101010111 0101110001001 111010111010111 111010101010001 111010101011101 101011100011001 101010100011101 111011111010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 240
  • Average number of words per stanza: 49
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 59 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, of, to, his, for, in are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word and is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Oh Who Is That Young Sinner;
  • 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 Edward Housman