Analysis of On Envy (From The Greek)
William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)
Pity, says the Theban bard,
From my wishes I discard;
Envy, let me rather be,
Rather far, a theme for thee.
Pity to distress is shown.
Envy to the great alone--
So the Theban -- But to shine
Less conspicuous be mine!
I prefer the golden mean,
Pomp and penury between;
For alarm and peril wait
Ever on the loftiest state
And the lowest to the end
Obloquy and scorn attend.
| Scheme | AABBCCDDEEFFGG |
|---|---|
| Poetic Form | |
| Metre | 101011 1110101 1011101 1010111 1010111 1010101 101111 1010011 1010101 1010001 1010101 101011 0010101 10101 |
| Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
| Characters | 366 |
| Words | 73 |
| Sentences | 5 |
| Stanzas | 1 |
| Stanza Lengths | 14 |
| Lines Amount | 14 |
| Letters per line (avg) | 20 |
| Words per line (avg) | 5 |
| Letters per stanza (avg) | 285 |
| Words per stanza (avg) | 71 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 21 sec read
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"On Envy (From The Greek)" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/40026/on-envy-%28from-the-greek%29>.
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