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

Because the eye has a short shadow or
it is hard to see over heads in the crowd?...

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: ab Xc b Xd ed aX XbceXca
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,2,1,2,2,2,7,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: enclosed rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101101111 00101101001 01011110 1111110 010011011 0111101 010010010 0110110101 11010010010010 0110001 0110110010 01001010 101010101 101100101 01000101 0110101011 11110010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 84
  • Average number of words per stanza: 15
  • Amount of lines: 17
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; if is repeated.

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

    The author used the same word if at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Naomi Shihab Nye