This is an analysis of the poem The Dutch In The Medway that begins with:

If wars were won by feasting,
Or victory by song,... 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: aabacdeD fececdXD XbXbXXXD fgXgXdhD hhXhXdeD
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101110 110011 11010101 110101 1101010 11101 11011111 100101 0101111 111101 11111101 011011 1111110 110101 11011011 100101 11010010 010111 11110101 110101 1000010 110010 11011101 100101 1101110 111111 11110100 110111 1101010 010111 01011111 100101 1101110 110111 11111110 110101 1101010 110101 11111011 100101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 234
  • Average number of words per stanza: 44
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 28 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • 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; and, you, our are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words or, no are repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word know at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of The Dutch In The Medway;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Rudyard Kipling