This is an analysis of the poem Villanelle that begins with:

A dainty thing's the Villanelle.
Sly, musical, a jewel in rhyme,... 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: XaB baX baB baX baB baXB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,3,3,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 01010100 110001001 01010101 01100101 11010101 01010100 10110101 11010101 01010101 11110001 010101101 01010100 11010101 01011101 01010101 11011001 10010001 01010100 01010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 110
  • Average number of words per stanza: 20
  • Amount of lines: 19
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (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 author used the same word a at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word well 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 Villanelle;
  • 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 Ernest Henley