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

If I speak it’s to hear you more clearly
If I hear you I’m sure to understand you...

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: XX ab Xa bX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,2,2,2,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 0110011110 01111101011 01100100101 01110101010 01011001011 0111010101 01111010110 01011111001
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 81
  • Average number of words per stanza: 19
  • Amount of lines: 8
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; you, if, i, to, we are 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 Certitude;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Paul Eluard