This is an analysis of the poem Before The Curtain that begins with:

Behind the footlights hangs the rusty baize,
A trifle shabby in the upturned blaze... full text

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: aaa bbb aaa ccc ddX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,3,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: rondeau
  • Metre: 0101110101 01010001001 01011100111 0110010111 1101110101 1111111101 1111010101 10011110101 0101010101 0111011101 0101110001 01011101001 1111010101 1111010101 0101000100
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 129
  • Average number of words per stanza: 23
  • Amount of lines: 15
  • Average number of symbols per line: 42 (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.

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

  • summary of Before The Curtain;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Francis Bret Harte