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

Some time ago, in simple verse
I sang the story true... 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: abXb cded fgbg hcdc XfXf dgfg ggbg Xheh Xfff gfbf gcgc bahX geXe fggX bggg XXgh hdbX dchc aici ecXc cccc hbeb Xege ihhX fagX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11010101 110101 01010100 110101 11110101 010101 01111101 1101001 11111001 110101 01010101 100101 10010101 110111 011111001 110111 110010100 010101 11011101 110011 01011101 010101 110011101 110001 11111101 010111 11011101 110101 101110100 110011 11000101 110101 01010100 111111 011111001 010101 111100101 110101 11011101 011101 11011111 010101 101011101 110110 11011111 110111 01011101 010100 100110111 010111 01111101 101101 101110111 110011 11110101 0101100 110010111 110101 1011100101 1001101 101010111 1101100 01010101 010101 1010010101 1100101 11110101 010101000 11111111 1100111 11011111 011111 11011101 110001 110011101 010001 01010101 110110 01011111 111101 01010100 010101 11011101 010001 111101001 010101 11011101 110001 10110101 010001 11011101 010001 01110100 111101 11011101 010100 01000111 1010101 11011101 010100
  • Amount of stanzas: 25
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 120
  • Average number of words per stanza: 22
  • Amount of lines: 100
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

    The author used the same word he at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase he connects the lines.

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

  • summary of The Martinet;
  • 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 Schwenck Gilbert