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

A SOFT-BREASTED bird from the sea
Fell in love with the light-house flame; ...

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: aXbbcc Xaddccee
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: enclosed rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic pentameter or irregular meter
  • Metre: 01101001 10100111 101101010101 11011101001 01011101011 1111100111 10110101 0100111 01100101101 1101100101 1011010101 1011110101 01101001001 1011110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 305
  • Average number of words per stanza: 57
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (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.

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

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

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase afar connects the lines.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by John Boyle O'Reilly