M'Pherson's Rant by Robert Burns: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem M'Pherson's Rant that begins with:

Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong,
The wretch's destinie!... 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: aXab cXbdb XeceB XdddB XXfbB fbXbB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,5,5,5,5,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110111 0110 1010101 110101 10 11001100 110011 110011101 010101 11011101 1100101 11011001 111101 11001 01110111 111011 111010110 1111101 11001 11010111 11110 01111101 11010 11001 11111111 110101 11011001 011111 11001
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 136
  • Average number of words per stanza: 25
  • Amount of lines: 29
  • Average number of symbols per line: 27 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5

  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; sae is repeated.

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

    The poet repeated the same words tree, c at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase he connects the lines.

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

  • summary of M'Pherson's Rant;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

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