This is an analysis of the poem Culloden that begins with:

Dark, dark was the day when we looked on Culloden
And chill was the mist drop that clung to the tree,... 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: Xaba cccc deXe dada fdfd gbgX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111011111100 11101111001 010010110110 11101111101 11111111101110 1011010111101 1110110010010 111101001101 1011000101110 11011011011 11100100101100 111011001011 11111101111 11111010101 11101101001 1011011111101 1010110110010 110001101001 110011110110 1110100111 1010011010010 101001011001 1110010111110 101101111110
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 209
  • Average number of words per stanza: 39
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 51 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; on, and, there, as, you, woe, where, of are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words as, ah, and, where are repeated.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Andrew Lang