Analysis of On A Portrait Of Wordsworth

Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806 (Kelloe) – 1861 (Florence)



WORDSWORTH upon Helvellyn ! Let the cloud
Ebb audibly along the mountain-wind,
Then break against the rock, and show behind
The lowland valleys floating up to crowd
The sense with beauty. He with forehead bowed
And humble-lidded eyes, as one inclined
Before the sovran thought of his own mind,
And very meek with inspirations proud,
Takes here his rightful place as poet-priest
By the high altar, singing prayer and prayer

To the higher Heavens. A noble vision free
Our Haydon's hand has flung out from the mist:
No portrait this, with Academic air !
This is the poet and his poetry.


Scheme ABBAABBAXC DXCD
Poetic Form
Metre 10011101 1100010101 1101010101 011010111 0111011101 010111101 0101011111 010110101 1111011101 1011010101 101010010101 1011111101 110110101 1101001100
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 578
Words 101
Sentences 6
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 10, 4
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 233
Words per stanza (avg) 51
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

30 sec read
148

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era. more…

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