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

THERE was a man whom Sorrow named his Friend,
And he, of his high comrade Sorrow dreaming,... 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: abbaaXXAcddcbbbbAddaebbefggf
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 28,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1101110101 11001111010 11001101010 1101110101 1111000101 01110110111 0101111110 1101110101 11111111010 0111110111 1001010101 11010100010 10011101010 110100010100 111111111100 01010101110 1101110101 1101011101 1110110101 1111110011 1101010101 1111011111 11110010100 1111010101 1111010101 1011010111 11110001001 01010010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1244
  • Average number of words per stanza: 228
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, my are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word and is repeated.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by William Butler Yeats