Analysis of The Undiscovered Country

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



Man has explored all countries and all lands,
And made his own the secrets of each clime.
Now, ere the world has fully reached its prime,
The oval earth lies compassed with steel bands,
The seas are slaves to ships that touch all strands,
And even the haughty elements sublime
And bold, yield him their secrets for all time,
And speed like lackeys forth at his commands.

Still, though he search from shore to distant shore,
And no strange realms, no unlocated plains
Are left for his attainment and control,
Yet is there one more kingdom to explore.
Go, know thyself, O man! there yet remains
The undiscovered country of thy soul!


Scheme ABBAABBA CDECDE
Poetic Form Petrarchan sonnet 
Metre 1101110011 0111010111 1101110111 010111111 0111111111 01001010001 0111110111 0111011101 1111111101 0111111 1111010001 1111110101 111111101 001010111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 625
Words 114
Sentences 6
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 8, 6
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 36
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 251
Words per stanza (avg) 56
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
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Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. more…

All Ella Wheeler Wilcox poems | Ella Wheeler Wilcox Books

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