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

Now the dead past seems vividly alive,
And in this shining moment I can trace,...

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: Xabacdcd cbebXbede
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1011110001 1001010111 1101000100 1111110101 1100110101 1101010001 1111111101 1101010101 1101010101 01111011010 0101111101 1111011111 1101111101 1111010111 1111111101 0101010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 233
  • Average number of words per stanza: 44
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

    The author used the same word i at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Claude McKay