Analysis of Sonnet XLV: Delia, These Eyes

Samuel Daniel 1562 (Taunton) – 1619



Delia, these eyes that so admireth thine
Have seen those walls the which ambition rear'd
To check the world, how they entomb'd have lyen
Within themselves, and on them plows have ear'd.
Yet for all that no barbarous hand attain'd
The spoil of fame deserv'd by virtuous men,
Whose glorious actions luckily had gain'd
Th'eternal Annals of a happier pen.
Why then, though Delia fade, let that not move her,
Though Time do spoil her of the fairest veil
That ever yet mortality did cover,
Which shall enstar the needle and the trail.
That grace, that virtue all that serv'd t' enwoman
Doth her unto eternity assummon.


Scheme ABABCDCDEFEFAA
Poetic Form
Metre 10111111 1111010101 1101110111 0101011111 11111100101 01110111001 11001010011 1101010101001 11110111110 1111010101 11010100110 111010001 1111011111 101001001
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 618
Words 109
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 484
Words per stanza (avg) 107
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

35 sec read
101

Samuel Daniel

Samuel Daniel was an English poet and historian. more…

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