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

The ivy o'er the mouldering wall
Spreads like a tree, the growth of years: ... 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: ababbXcdcdefeffffeggeeffhhbibibjbjakakXbjj
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 42,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101001001 11010100 01110101 01010101 01010111 101010100 01010101 110010101 11010101 010101110 01110101 101110011 01010101 10010101 01010101 01011111 01111101 110111001 11010101 01110101 0101011001 11010101 01011001 110101001 11011101 110111001 101010100 01010101 00110111 01010101 010010101 011111110 01010111 0100111010 110100111 11110101 11011101 01110100 111111010 110111001 1100101110 1111001010
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1556
  • Average number of words per stanza: 268
  • Amount of lines: 42
  • Average number of symbols per line: 36 (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 is repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Thomas Love Peacock