Analysis of Colin Instructed

Thomas Chatterton 1752 (Bristol) – 1770 (Holborn)



Young Colin was as stout a boy
As ever gave a maiden joy;
But long in vain he told his tale
To black-eyed Biddy of the Dale.
Ah why, the whining shepherd cried,
Am I alone your smiles denied?
I only tell in vain my tale
To black-eyed Biddy of the Dale.

True Colin, said the laughing dame,
You only whimper out your flame,
Others do more than sigh their tale
To black-eyed Biddy of the Dale.

He took the hint &c.


Scheme aabBccbB ddbB x
Poetic Form
Metre 11011101 11010101 11011111 11110101 11010101 11011101 11010111 11110101 11010101 11010111 10111111 11110101 11011
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 419
Words 84
Sentences 6
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 4, 1
Lines Amount 13
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 105
Words per stanza (avg) 27
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

25 sec read
160

Thomas Chatterton

Thomas Chatterton was an English poet and forger of pseudo-medieval poetry. He committed suicide, dying of arsenic poisoning. His works and death were much discussed posthumously and had an influence on the Romantic movement. more…

All Thomas Chatterton poems | Thomas Chatterton Books

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