This is an analysis of the poem Der Selbstmord that begins with:

Scheitert unsre Brust an Klippen,
Hingeschellt von Sturmeswut;...

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: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XaXa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1011110 1001100 1111100010 11100 1111101 111110 1111100 11001 11111100 111100 110110 1111100 10111110 111111 11111000 11110 1111000 111101 10001111 110110 11111010 11111011 11110110 1110111 11101110 1111110 10111010 101110 1110110 1111110 11111100 1111101 111101 1110101 1111101 1011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 9
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 125
  • Average number of words per stanza: 22
  • Amount of lines: 36
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; ihr, tet are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words wie, warst are repeated.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Nikolaus Franz Niembsch Edler von Strehlenau