This is an analysis of the poem Sonnet Xl: My Heart The Anvil that begins with:

My heart the anvil where my thoughts do beat;
My words the hammers fashioning my desire; ... 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: ababXcXccXcXdd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: Shakespearean sonnet
  • Metre: 1101011111 110101001010 1101010101 10010101010 11010101100 10110111010 10011101010 01010111010 11010101010 11011101010 10110101010 11110010110 0100111101 110101010
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 644
  • Average number of words per stanza: 110
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 45 (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; my is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Sonnet Xl: My Heart The Anvil;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Michael Drayton