This is an analysis of the poem Hymn I that begins with:

O THOU, whose presence went before
Our fathers in their weary way,... 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: ababbcbcdedecacafcfcgegehchchehedaXacici
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 40,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110101 11001101 10110101 010110111 10110001 010101010 11010101 111101010 11011111 11001100 01110101 11001101 11110111 01111111 11011101 11011101 11011111 11110101 11010101 01010101 11110111 11011101 11110101 110100101 11011101 011101010 11111101 010101010 11011101 10110101 10110101 11010101 11110101 010100101 110011111 01001111 1101010010 010011101 100101010 010010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1415
  • Average number of words per stanza: 262
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (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 is repeated.

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

  • summary of Hymn I;
  • 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 Greenleaf Whittier