Analysis of Upon The Image Of Death

Robert Southwell 1561 (Horsham St Faith) – 1595



Before my face the picture hangs
That daily should put me in mind
Of those cold names and bitter pangs
That shortly I am like to find;
But yet, alas, full little I
Do think hereon that I must die.

I often look upon a face
Most ugly, grisly, bare, and thin;
I often view the hollow place
Where eyes and nose had sometimes been;
I see the bones across that lie,
Yet little think that I must die.

I read the label underneath,
That telleth me whereto I must;
I see the sentence eke that saith
Remember, man, that thou art dust!
But yet, alas, but seldom I
Do think indeed that I must die.

Continually at my bed's head
A hearse doth hang, which doth me tell
That I ere morning may be dead,
Though now I feel myself full well ;
But yet, alas, for all this, I
Have little mind that I must die.

The gown which I do use to wear,
The knife wherewith I cut my meat,
And eke that old and ancient chair
Which is my only usual seat,-
All these do tell me I must die,
And yet my life amend not I.

My ancestors are turned to clay,
And many of my mates are gone;
My youngers daily drop away,
And can I think to 'scape alone?
No, no, I know that I must die,
And yet my life amend not I.

Not Solomon for all his wit,
Nor Samson, though he were so strong,
No king nor person ever yet
Could 'scape but death laid him along;
Wherefore I know that I must die,
And yet my life amend not I.

Though all the East did quake to hear
Of Alexander's dreadful name,
And all the West did likewise fear
To hear of Julius Caesar's fame,
Yet both by death in dust now lie;
Who then can 'scape but he must die?

If none can 'scape death's dreadful dart,
If rich and poor his beck obey,
If strong, if wise, if all do smart,
Then I to 'scape shall have no way.
Oh, grant me grace, O God, that I
My life may mend, sith I must die.


Scheme ababcc dedecc fgfgcc hihicc jkjkcC lxlxcC xmxmcC xnxncc ololcc
Poetic Form
Metre 01110101 11011101 11110101 11011111 11011101 1111111 11010101 11010101 11010101 11011011 11010111 11011111 1101001 111111 11010111 01011111 11011101 11011111 010001111 01111111 11110111 1111111 11011111 11011111 01111111 0111111 01110101 111101001 11111111 01110111 1101111 01011111 11010101 01111101 11111111 01110111 11001111 11011011 11110101 11111101 1111111 01110111 11011111 1010101 0101111 11110101 11110111 11111111 11111101 11011101 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,744
Words 370
Sentences 13
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 54
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 150
Words per stanza (avg) 41
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

1:52 min read
126

Robert Southwell

Robert Southwell, also Saint Robert Southwell, was an English Roman Catholic priest of the Jesuit Order. He was also a poet and clandestine missionary in post-Reformation England. After being arrested and tortured by Sir Richard Topcliffe, Southwell was tried and convicted of high treason for his links to the Holy See. On 21 February 1595, Southwell was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. In 1970, he was canonised by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. more…

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