Analysis of The Widow
Robert Southey 1774 (Bristol) – 1843 (London)
Cold was the night wind, drifting fast the snows fell,
Wide were the downs and shelterless and naked,
When a poor Wanderer struggled on her journey
Weary and way-sore.
Drear were the downs, more dreary her reflexions;
Cold was the night wind, colder was her bosom!
She had no home, the world was all before her,
She had no shelter.
Fast o'er the bleak heath rattling drove a chariot,
"Pity me!" feebly cried the poor night wanderer.
"Pity me Strangers! lest with cold and hunger
Here I should perish.
"Once I had friends,--but they have all forsook me!
"Once I had parents,--they are now in Heaven!
"I had a home once--I had once a husband--
"Pity me Strangers!
"I had a home once--I had once a husband--
"I am a Widow poor and broken-hearted!"
Loud blew the wind, unheard was her complaining.
On drove the chariot.
On the cold snows she laid her down to rest her;
She heard a horseman, "pity me!" she groan'd out;
Loud blew the wind, unheard was her complaining,
On went the horseman.
Worn out with anguish, toil and cold and hunger,
Down sunk the Wanderer, sleep had seiz'd her senses;
There, did the Traveller find her in the morning,
GOD had releast her.
Scheme | xabx cxdd eddx bfGc GaHe dxHf dchd |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 11011101011 100101010 101100101010 10011 100111001 11011101010 11110111010 11110 1100111010100 101101011100 10110111010 11110 11111111011 11110111010 11011111010 10110 11011111010 11010101010 11010110010 110100 10111101110 11010101111 11010110010 11010 11110101010 110100111010 110100100010 1110 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,188 |
Words | 216 |
Sentences | 17 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 28 |
Letters per line (avg) | 32 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 126 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 30 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:04 min read
- 143 Views
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