This is an analysis of the poem The Retrospect: Cwm Elan, 1812 that begins with:

A scene, which 'wildered fancy viewed
In the soul's coldest solitude,... full text

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: aabbccdeddffgghhaaddhhggcacaXifiii bbjjkkiifhfhaabbacacdeiliilhh ccaaffaaaabbff mmaaddnnkkffffbbddii ccllhghg dehh hhffiiiicckkaaffooppkkiioddoeiiffahahllaaggdd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 34,29,14,20,8,4,45,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 011100101 00110101 01111101 1100101001 11011111 01000101 10010111 11001100 01111101 11110101 110010111 01010101 1100011 11010101 110100101 11110101 11000101 11010101 110010101 01010101 11010101 110000101 11011101 11010101 11111101 01011101 11010101 11110101 11111110 11011101 11010101 00011101 10010111 110111001 01110101 111100101 11010101 10010111 11001101 11010100 110100110 011101010 11100101 11011101 11111101 10011101 110110101 10110101 11111101 11000101 11011101 01010101 11010101 101000101 110010001 11010100 11011101 01011101 10010101 110101001 01110101 10110101 110101001 11000111 11001001 11010111 01001011 11000101 011101001 11010101 01010101 11110101 01000101 11010101 11001101 11000101 01010101 111101010 1101001010 11101101 10010001 11010101 11101101 11100111 11010101 11000101 01110100 11011101 11011111 11110101 01010101 110110011 01110101 1101101 11010101 110010101 01011101 1111101 10010101 11110101 100110101 11110111 10010101 10010111 101100101 10110101 01010100 11001101 01100101 11111101 11011101 01010101 10010101 11110101 010101001 1100010001 11111111 11110101 110101101 111111010 110001010 11010111 00110001 11010101 110010101 01011101 01010101 110010111 11011101 11111100 11011111 110010101 10110101 11100011 01100101 10110001 10110111 010101010 11110101 10011101 11010111 01010101 11011101 11010101 010011111 1100011 11011101 11010101 01010011 01010101 01001101 111101001 11100101 11110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 779
  • Average number of words per stanza: 135
  • Amount of lines: 154
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, of, my are repeated.

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

  • summary of The Retrospect: Cwm Elan, 1812;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley