This is an analysis of the poem The Muscovy Duck that begins with:

The rooster is a brainless dude, although he sports a crest,
The hen’s an awful fool we know, though hen-eggs are the best;... 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: aabbccdd aaaaccdd eeXcffdd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 01000101111101 01110111111101 110100101110111 11010111110111 01000101110101 11011100111101 11011101110111 11001110011001 11010100111101 010100101110101 11110101110101 11110101011111 11011111110101 1011011111101 11010101110111 11010100011001 000101011010101 01011111011101 11011110010101 01010101011111 110101011001101 01010111010101 11010101010101 01011101011001
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 481
  • Average number of words per stanza: 96
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 59 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

    The poet repeated the same word duck at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Henry Lawson