Late, Late, So Late by Alfred Lord Tennyson: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Late, Late, So Late that begins with:

Late, late, so late! and dark the night and chill!
Late, late, so late! but we can enter still.... 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: aaBccBccB ccX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111110111 1111111101 1111110101 1111111101 1100011001 1111110101 1111111101 1110111101 1111110101 11110100011 1110110101 11111101010
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 281
  • Average number of words per stanza: 53
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 46 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9

  • 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 author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; late, we, and, too are repeated.

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

    The poet repeated the same word now 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 Late, Late, So Late;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

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