Alabama Song by Bertolt Brecht: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Alabama Song that begins with:

Show me the way to the next whisky bar
Oh, don't ask why, oh, don't ask why...

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: ABABaBBCCB DbDXB EBEBeBBCCB DBDeB FBFBfBBCCB DBDXB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 10,5,10,5,10,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101001101 11111111 1101001101 11111111 1011101101 111111 111111 111 111 111111 1101010 1111101 1110110 11110 1111 1101001101 11111111 1101001101 11111111 1011101101 111111 111111 111 111 111111 1101010 111101 1110110 11101 1111 11010011010 11111111 11010011010 11111111 10111011010 111111 111111 111 111 111111 1101010 111101 1110110 11110 1111
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 204
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 45
  • Average number of symbols per line: 26 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • 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; oh, ask, why, we, i, tell, you are repeated.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines die, you are repeated).

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Bertolt Brecht

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