Analysis of The Prodigal Son
John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)
Afflictions, though they seem severe;
In mercy oft are sent;
They stopped the prodigal's career,
And forced him to repent.
Although he no relentings felt
Till he had spent his store;
His stubborn heart began to melt
When famine pinched him sore.
What have I gained by sin, he said,
But hunger, shame, and fear;
My father's house abounds with bread,
While I am starving here.
I'll go, and tell him all I've done,
And fall before his face
Unworthy to be called his son,
I'll seek a servant's place.
His father saw him coming back,
He saw, and ran, and smiled;
And threw his arms around the neck
Of his rebellious child.
Father, I've sinned - but O forgive!
I've heard enough, he said,
Rejoice my house, my son's alive,
For whom I mourned as dead.
Now let the fatted calf be slain,
And spread the news around;
My son was dead, but lives again,
Was lost, but now is found.
'Tis thus the Lord his love reveals,
To call poor sinners home;
More than a father's love he feels,
And welcomes all that come.
Scheme | ABAB CDCD EAEX FGFG XHXH XEXE XIXI JXJX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (75%) |
Metre | 01011101 010111 110101 011101 11111 111111 11010111 110111 11111111 110101 11010111 111101 11011111 010111 01011111 11011 11011101 110101 01110101 110101 10111101 110111 01111101 111111 1101111 010101 11111101 111111 11011101 111101 11010111 010111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 980 |
Words | 188 |
Sentences | 10 |
Stanzas | 8 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 32 |
Letters per line (avg) | 24 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 95 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 23 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 29, 2023
- 59 sec read
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