This is an analysis of the poem A Guest that begins with:

Death, are you well? I trust you have no cough
That's painful or in any way annoying... 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: ababcc cbcbdd dedeff
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111111111 11010101010 11010111011 11010110010 11111010101 0101010111 1011010111 01011101010 0101011111 11011100010 1111111111 1110010001 1111011101 01110101010 1011110101 11000101110 1101011101 0101111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 256
  • Average number of words per stanza: 50
  • Amount of lines: 18
  • Average number of symbols per line: 42 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

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

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

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

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

  • summary of A Guest;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ambrose Bierce