Analysis of A Dirge

John Webster 1580 (London) – 1632 (London)



CALL for the robin-redbreast and the wren,
Since o'er shady groves they hover,
And with leaves and flowers do cover
The friendless bodies of unburied men.
Call unto his funeral dole
The ant, the field-mouse, and the mole,
To rear him hillocks that shall keep him warm,
And (when gay tombs are robb'd) sustain no harm;
But keep the wolf far thence, that 's foe to men,
For with his nails he'll dig them up again.


Scheme ABBACCDEAA
Poetic Form Etheree  (30%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 110101001 110101110 011010110 0110111 11011001 01011001 111111111 0111110111 11011111111 1111111101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 419
Words 78
Sentences 3
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 10
Lines Amount 10
Letters per line (avg) 32
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 317
Words per stanza (avg) 76
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

24 sec read
429

John Webster

John Webster was an English Jacobean dramatist best known for his tragedies The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi, which are often regarded as masterpieces of the early 17th-century English stage. His life and career overlapped William Shakespeare's. more…

All John Webster poems | John Webster Books

0 fans

Discuss this John Webster poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "A Dirge" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/24141/a-dirge>.

    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!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    6
    hours
    56
    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?

    »
    Who wrote the poem, "The cask of Amontillado"?
    A Miguel De Cervantes
    B Rudyard Kipling
    C Emily Dickinson
    D Edgar Allan Poe