Analysis of Lochinvar
Sir Walter Scott 1771 (College Wynd, Edinburgh) – 1832 (Abbotsford, Roxburghshire)
O young Lochinvar is come out of the west,
Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;
And save his good broadsword he weapons had none,
He rode all unarm'd, and he rode all alone.
So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.
He staid not for brake, and he stopp'd not for stone,
He swam the Eske river where ford there was none;
But ere he alighted at Netherby gate,
The bride had consented, the gallant came late:
For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war,
Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.
So boldly he enter'd the Netherby Hall,
Among bride's-men, and kinsmen, and brothers and all:
Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword,
(For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word,)
"O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,
Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?"
"I long woo'd your daughter, my suit you denied; --
Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide --
And now I am come, with this lost love of mine,
To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.
There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far,
That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar."
The bride kiss'd the goblet: the knight took it up,
He quaff'd off the wine, and he threw down the cup.
She look'd down to blush, and she look'd up to sigh,
With a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye.
He took her soft hand, ere her mother could bar, --
"Now tread we a measure!" said young Lochinvar.
So stately his form, and so lovely her face,
That never a hall such a gailiard did grace;
While her mother did fret, and her father did fume
And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume;
And the bride-maidens whisper'd, "'twere better by far
To have match'd our fair cousin with young Lochinvar."
One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear,
When they reach'd the hall-door, and the charger stood near;
So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung,
So light to the saddle before her he sprung!
"She is won! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur;
They'll have fleet steeds that follow," quoth young Lochinvar.
There was mounting 'mong Graemes of the Netherby clan;
Forsters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they ran:
There was racing and chasing on Cannobie Lee,
But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see.
So daring in love, and so dauntless in war,
Have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar?
Scheme | AABCDDCBEEDD FFXXDD GGHHID JJKKID LLMMID XXNNDD OOPPDD |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111111101 11011011101 0111111011 11101011101 1100101101 110111011 11111011111 11011011111 1111111 01101001011 10100100101 1110110111 110110011 01110101001 11011011111 10110111001 11101111101 11111010111 11111011101 1110111111 01111111111 11111011111 111001011011 1110111011 01101001111 11101011101 11111011111 101101001001 11011101011 111010111 11011011001 1100110111 101011001011 001110011001 001101011011 11110110111 11101011001 111011001011 11101011011 11101001011 111111101101 1111110111 1110111011 110111011 1110010111 1011111111 1100101101 11101110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 2,368 |
Words | 462 |
Sentences | 17 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 12, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 |
Lines Amount | 48 |
Letters per line (avg) | 38 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 262 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 65 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 29, 2023
- 2:22 min read
- 551 Views
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"Lochinvar" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/35507/lochinvar>.
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