This is an analysis of the poem The Rivals that begins with:

'TWAS three an' thirty year ago,
I When I was ruther young, you know,...

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:
  • Stanza lengths (in strings):
  • Closest metre:
  • Сlosest rhyme:
  • Сlosest stanza type:
  • Guessed form:
  • Metre:
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 3598
  • Average number of words per stanza: 731
  • Amount of lines: 104
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i, fur, an', to, er, his, he are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words i, an', to, why are repeated.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines us, ' are repeated).

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

  • summary of The Rivals;
  • 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 Laurence Dunbar