Analysis of Impromptu, to Lady Winchelsea

Alexander Pope 1688 (London) – 1744 (Twickenham)



In vain you boast Poetic Names of yore,
And cite those Sapho's we admire no more:
Fate doom'd the Fall of ev'ry Female Wit,
But doom'd it then when first Ardelia writ.
Of all Examples by the World confest,
I knew Ardelia could not quote the best;
Who, like her Mistress on Britannia's Throne;
Fights, and subdues in Quarrels not her own.
To write their Praise you but in vain essay;
Ev'n while you write, you take that Praise away:
Light to the Stars the Sun does thus restore,
But shines himself till they are seen no more.


Scheme AABBBCDDEEAA
Poetic Form
Metre 0111010111 011110111 11011111 11111101001 110101011 11010011101 11010111 101010101 1111110101 11111111101 1101011101 1101111111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 521
Words 100
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 12
Lines Amount 12
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 406
Words per stanza (avg) 98
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 13, 2023

31 sec read
139

Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope (1688-1744) is regarded as one of the greatest English poets, and the foremost poet of the early eighteenth century. He is best known for his satirical and discursive poetry, including The Rape of the Lock, The Dunciad, and An Essay on Criticism, as well as for his translation of Homer. more…

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