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

I so loved once, when Death came by I hid
   Away my face, ... 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: abab acac dXdX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111111111 1011 1111010101 111101 0111111001 1111 0111110101 110001 1111011101 1100 0011101100 110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 167
  • Average number of words per stanza: 26
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 41 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; my, and are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of The Rival;
  • 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 Whitcomb Riley