This is an analysis of the poem Wilberforce that begins with:

I heard a knell
Toll slow amid the consecrated isles... 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: abXcbXXXdefXffcbgfehdaghfbdeb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 29,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1101 1101010101 1101010101 1101010111 1111110101 1111101101 1001011111 10110111110 11010101011 010101 1101 1101010101 10100010001 0101011101 1101010101 01010100101 0101110101 1101110001 0100010101 1111110011 0011110101 0101011101 00011110001 1011000111 11010100101 1111010101 1101011111 01010100101 0101010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1202
  • Average number of words per stanza: 219
  • Amount of lines: 29
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • 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, of are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Lydia Huntley Sigourney