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

A moon, with vacant, chilling eye, stares
At the winter, enthroned vast and white upon the hard ground;...

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: abXa XaXX aXba
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 010101011 101010011101011 0101010101010 0101010101 1011011011101 10010010010 11010100010 1110010100101001 01001001010 101001010110 011110001001 1011100111010
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 201
  • Average number of words per stanza: 35
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 50 (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; of, to are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Emile Verhaeren