This is an analysis of the poem Marmion: A Christmas Poem that begins with:

Heap on more wood! the wind is chill;
But let it whistle as it will,...

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: aaabbccddaabbcceeXfaaaa ggcceehhbbccdXaaggiibXeecc ggjjggccfkaabbiXffjjcchhfkggXeccaabb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 23,26,36,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110101 11010100 11110101 11110111 01011101 101010101 11110101 11010101 11010101 10011111 11110101 110010111 100010101 11010101 01111101 11010101 11110101 11010111 11011111 11010101 111100101 11100101 010010101 11110101 11010111 11110101 01011001 01010101 11000101 11010101 11010111 11010101 101010101 0101011 01110101 100101011 01000101 11010101 01010111 101010101 110101001 01010001 11110101 01100001 01010111 11010101 110010101 10010101 11000101 010011101 11010101 01110101 11010101 11010101 11010111 11100101 11110101 10111111 10011110 11011101 11110101 11010101 11010001 01010011 10010101 101101011 11011101 11110001 111101001 11010100 110101001 01000101 01010111 11101101 10010100 11010101 11010101 11110101 11010111 10110101 11010101 110101001 11010101 01010111 01111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1028
  • Average number of words per stanza: 183
  • Amount of lines: 85
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (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, in, christmas are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words on, the, 'twas are repeated.

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

  • summary of Marmion: A Christmas Poem;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Sir Walter Scott