This is an analysis of the poem Ultima Thule that begins with:

The tides roll white and pale
On a shingly, stormy strand,...

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: abaabXB cbccbXB dbddbXB dbddbXB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,7,7,7,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 011111 1010101 1010111 00100101 1001 011001 0101 0101001 1111011 1010101 1001001 101001 011001 0101 100101 0100101 1011001 0111101 0101 011001 0101 1101101 1111101 101111 10110111 01101 011001 0101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 184
  • Average number of words per stanza: 34
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 25 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and is repeated.

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

    The poet repeated the same word land at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Cicely Fox Smith