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

I dreamed that I was dead. The years went by:
The world forgot that such a man as I... 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: aaba Xcbc ddXd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 1111110011 0101110111 1101110101 0101001101 1011010110 01100110111 1101010101 1101110101 11100110011 1100110111 1001000101 11010101001
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 168
  • Average number of words per stanza: 33
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 41 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; i, my are repeated.

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

  • summary of A Nightmare;
  • 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