This is an analysis of the poem The Past Was Goodly Once that begins with:
The Past was goodly once, and yet, when all is said,
The best of it we know is that it's done and dead.... 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: aa bb cc ddXcc
- Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,2,2,5,
- Closest metre: iambic pentameter
- Сlosest rhyme: couplets
- Сlosest stanza type: tercets
- Guessed form: heroic couplets
- Metre: 011101111101 010011010111 101101100101 100111011111 1011011011001 100101110111 101111110101 100101110001 101101100101 011101011111
- Amount of stanzas: 5
- Average number of symbols per stanza: 102
- Average number of words per stanza: 21
- Amount of lines: 10
- Average number of symbols per line: 51 (strings are more long than medium ones)
- Average number of words per line: 10
Mood of the speaker:
The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.
The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, it are repeated.
The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word the is repeated.
If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:
- summary of The Past Was Goodly Once;
- central theme;
- idea of the verse;
- history of its creation;
- critical appreciation.
Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!
Pay attention: the program cannot take into account all the numerous nuances of poetic technique while analyzing. We make no warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability and suitability with respect to the information.
More information about poems by William Ernest Henley
- Analysis of Dedication--To My Wife
- Analysis of The Skies Are Strown With Stars
- Analysis of Largo E Mesto