This is an analysis of the poem An Ancient Gesture that begins with:

I thought, as I wiped my eyes on the corner of my apron:
Penelope did this too....

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: abXcccddb aeebfeXf
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 111111110100110 0100001 11111111011 101001101 1111010101111 1010110111001001 11101011111110 10011001 101010101 1111111110100110 001101001001 00101010101 010001 110101000010101 00010111111101 11000100 01001101
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 388
  • Average number of words per stanza: 73
  • Amount of lines: 17
  • Average number of symbols per line: 45 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

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

  • summary of An Ancient Gesture;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay