This is an analysis of the poem Despondency -- An Ode that begins with:

Oppress'd with grief, oppress'd with care,
A burden more than I can bear,... 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: aabccbXaXadeae ffccccgegeXhih ggjiijgegedbXb gggkkglglgggaX llhllhgmgmlnjn
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,14,14,14,14,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 01010101 01011111 111111 11110101 01010101 010111 11011111 110101 11011111 110111 110010 101101 111111 100101 10110101 110001001 110101 1101101 11010111 111101 11010101 100011 11010101 110101 1100110 011111 110110 1100101 11010001 11010101 010101 01010101 110010101 010101 11000101 110001 01011101 010101 110110 010111 11010 110101 11110101 11010111 110101 01010001 11011101 010101 11110111 111101 01010101 111101 111111 110111 111111 110010 11000101 110101001 010101 11011101 01010101 010111 11011101 110001 11010111 111011 010010 110101 011011 010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 481
  • Average number of words per stanza: 73
  • Amount of lines: 70
  • Average number of symbols per line: 33 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • 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; his, to are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Despondency -- An Ode;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Robert Burns