Analysis of On The Death Of Dr. Lancton President Of Maudlin College



When men for injuryes unsatisfy'd,
For hopes cutt off, for debts not fully payd,
For legacies in vain expected, mourne
Over theyr owne respects within the urne,
Races of tears all striveing first to fall
As frequent are as eye and funerall;
Then high swolne sighes drawne in and sent out strong
Seeme to call back the soule or goe along.
Goodness is seldome such a theam of woe
Unless to her owne tribe some one or two;
But here's a man, (alas a shell of man!)
Whose innocence, more white than silver swan,
Now finds a streame of teares; such perfect greif
That in the traine of mourners hee is cheife
Who lives the greatest gainer; and would faine
Bee now prefer'd unto his loss againe.
The webb of nerves with subtill branches spred
Over the little world, are in theyr head
Scarce so united as in him were knitt
All his dependants: Hee that strives to sitt
So lov'd of all must bee a man as square
As vertues selfe; which those that fly and feare
Can never hate. How seldome have we seene
Such store of flesh joyn'd with so little sin?
His body was not greater than his soule,
Whose limbs were vertues able to controule
All grudg of sloth: and as the body's weight
Hal'd to the centre; so the soule as light
Heav'd upward to her goale. This civill jarre
Could not hold out, but made them part as farre
As earth and heaven: from whence the one shall come
To make her mate more fresh, less cumbersome.
After so sound a sleepe, so sweet a rest,
And both shall then appeare so trimly drest
As freinds that goe to meet: the body shall
Then seeme a soule, the soule Angellicall:
A beautious smile shall passe from that to this,
The joyning soule shall then the body kisse
With its owne lipps: so great shall be the store
Of joy and love that now thei'l part no more;
Such hope hath dust! besides which happines
Death hath not made his earthly share the lesse,
Or quite bereft him of his honors here,
But added more; for liveing hee did steere
The fellowes only; but since hee is dead
Hee's made a president unto theyr head.


Scheme AABBCCDDEFBBGGBBAAAAHHBBICAAHHJJAAKCLLMMLLNOAA
Poetic Form
Metre 11111 1111111101 1100010101 1011010101 101111111 11011101 1111100111 1111011101 101110111 0110111111 1101010111 1100111101 1101111011 1001110111 1101010011 110110111 011111101 1001011011 1101010101 11111111 1111110111 111111101 110111111 1111111101 1101110111 11011011 1111010101 1101010111 110101111 1111111111 11010110111 1101111100 1011011101 01111111 1111110101 1101011 011111111 011110101 1111111101 1101111111 11110111 1111110101 1101111101 110111111 011011111 110101011
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 1,982
Words 384
Sentences 10
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 46
Lines Amount 46
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 1,585
Words per stanza (avg) 381
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

1:58 min read
67

William Strode

William Strode (c. 1602 – 1645) was an English poet, Doctor of Divinity and Public Orator of Oxford University, one of the Worthies of Devon of John Prince (d.1723). more…

All William Strode poems | William Strode Books

0 fans

Discuss this William Strode poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "On The Death Of Dr. Lancton President Of Maudlin College" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/41685/on-the-death-of-dr.-lancton-president-of-maudlin-college>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    March 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    2
    days
    15
    hours
    55
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    A brief and intentional reference to a historical, mythological, or literary person, place, event, or movement is called a _______.
    A metaphor
    B hyperbole
    C allusion
    D simile