This is an analysis of the poem The Shafter Shafted that begins with:

Well, James McMillan Shafter, you're a Judge
At least you were when last I knew of you;... 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: ababbaccdedeedff gbgbbgXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 16,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1101010101 1110111101 1001011111 1011001101 0101000101 0100010111 010100100010 11010101010 1001110011 1111000101 1111010011 0101011101 0101010111 0100010101 01000001010 11010111010 1101111111 0100011101 1111111111 1110010101 1101110011 1101010011 11001110110 01011101110
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 494
  • Average number of words per stanza: 90
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • 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 the is repeated.

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

  • summary of The Shafter Shafted;
  • 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