Ballade Des Äußeren Lebens by Hugo von Hofmannsthal: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Ballade Des Äußeren Lebens that begins with:

Und Kinder wachsen auf mit tiefen Augen,
Die von nichts wissen, wachsen auf und sterben, ...

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: XXX XaX aXX XXX XXX XXX XXX X
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,1,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101011111010 11110101110 11101011 1111101110 110111110 1101011100 11011111010 100111011 111110110 111011111 11111101010 110110010 1011100110 100111101 11010101100 11111111 1111110101 1101010101 11100110010 1101111101 111010111 11010111010
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 114
  • Average number of words per stanza: 20
  • Amount of lines: 22
  • Average number of symbols per line: 41 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7

  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; und is repeated.

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

    The author used the same words und, was 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 Ballade Des Äußeren Lebens;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Hugo von Hofmannsthal

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