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

England, what have you done to make the speech
My fathers used a stranger to my lips,...

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: XaXXXbXXXab
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 11,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1011110101 1101010011 110001010101 11111010101 1011011111 1101111011 01100101011 100111100010 100101111101 01101011001 001100111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 525
  • Average number of words per stanza: 96
  • Amount of lines: 11
  • Average number of symbols per line: 47 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

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

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

  • summary of The Old Language;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ronald Stuart Thomas