This is an analysis of the poem Self-Portrait that begins with:

She was not a slender woman,
but her skin was milk...

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: abXac X aXbc Xc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,1,4,2,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11101010 10111 1001101 0101011011 011010011010 01011010101 1101000101 1100111010 110100101110 1101101001010 1110111 1010110
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 117
  • Average number of words per stanza: 22
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 38 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; her, she are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word she 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 Self-Portrait;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Erica Jong