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

Once it was packed like a box with the toys of childhood,
Even the largest dolls grown small and familiar,...

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: abcXXdXXdXeffg hegadbbbhiciii
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,14,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1011101001011 100101111010 1011110 10001000 10111101101 10111110001 100110101110 0100111101 10101 101010101001 110001 1100111101 10011101001 0101110 100 1011 010101 1001110101 11010 00011101110 000100 110 1100 1001010101 0100010100 100100101010 10011010110 0101
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 460
  • Average number of words per stanza: 85
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, like are repeated.

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

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase it connects the lines.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Babette Deutsch