This is an analysis of the poem John Marston: Xii that begins with:

THE BITTERNESS of death and bitterer scorn
Breathes from the broad-leafed aloe-plant whence thou... 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: abbaabbaXXcXXc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic pentameter or irregular meter
  • Metre: 01000111001 1001111111 1101011101 0101110101 1111110001 11111101001 011110101101 1111110111 1101111101 11001010001 0101010011 1111111111 11010101100 0101010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 656
  • Average number of words per stanza: 118
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 46 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; black is repeated.

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

  • summary of John Marston: Xii;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Algernon Charles Swinburne