Without Parachutes by Erica Jong: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Without Parachutes that begins with:

The experience of fear is not an observer of it; he is fear itself, the very instrument of fear.
-J. Krishnamurti...

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: aX bcXdXece XXbfXgX begbchbd gbfXbXc eXXabcXc efgghXgXa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,8,7,8,7,8,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0010001011010001010101010001 11000 01101 0001011 010011 101 01001010 0011 01010 0101 111110110 001 0110110 10101 01010 1100 1101010111 0111110 01001 01011101010 010111111 01010111 01010 10101010 1110010001 10111001110 01101 101001 01110100 0010 101110 101 110110 101 110100001 0111 11110 00110001 0101010 001 110010 011 10010 111010 111010 1011 1100010 111
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 150
  • Average number of words per stanza: 28
  • Amount of lines: 48
  • Average number of symbols per line: 24 (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; of, fear are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Without Parachutes;
  • 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

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