This is an analysis of the poem To A Fish that begins with:

You strange, astonished-looking, angle-faced,
Dreary-mouthed, gaping wretches of the sea, ... 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: abXaabXa XcdXdc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic pentameter or irregular meter
  • Metre: 1101010101 1011010001 1011010000 1101011101 1111000101 1111011100 1111111100 1010010001 11010011101 11111111110 1111011111 11111111110 01011111011 11110101010
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 329
  • Average number of words per stanza: 53
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 46 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • 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; some, ye are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of To A Fish;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by James Henry Leigh Hunt