This is an analysis of the poem He Was, When It Was Aught that begins with:

He was, when it was aught
He would still be, even if it might have been naught...

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: XaXaXbXXbccX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 12,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 111011 111010001101 1110110 111100111 100011101010 11101001011010 0001010010 011110100101 010101101 10100101 01001100010 0011111010
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 457
  • Average number of words per stanza: 92
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (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; it is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of He Was, When It Was Aught;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Mirza Ghalib