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

When I am dead, and doctors know not why,
And my friends' curiosity... 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: aXXXbbXX bbccddcc eeXXaacc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 1111110111 11110100 01111001110 1111110011 11010101 0111101 1110111101 1100010100 1100101101 11001101 11101010101 11110010101 11011101 01011100 0111110101 1011010111 1111011111 11011101 1111001100 1111011101 11110111 10111111 1101011111 10111010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 304
  • Average number of words per stanza: 58
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, you 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 Damp;
  • 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 Donne