Analysis of Incident Of The French Camp
Robert Browning 1812 (Camberwell) – 1889 (Venice)
You know, we French stormed Ratisbon:
A mile or so away,
On a little mound, Napoleon
Stood on our storming-day;
With neck out-thrust, you fancy how,
Legs wide, arms locked behind,
As if to balance the prone brow
Oppressive with its mind.
Just as perhaps he mused ``My plans
``That soar, to earth may fall,
``Let once my army-leader Lannes
``Waver at yonder wall,''---
Out 'twixt the battery-smokes there flew
A rider, bound on bound
Full-galloping; nor bridle drew
Until he reached the mound.
Then off there flung in smiling joy,
And held himself erect
By just his horse's mane, a boy:
You hardly could suspect---
(So tight he kept his lips compressed,
Scarce any blood came through)
You looked twice ere you saw his breast
Was all but shot in two.
``Well,'' cried he, ``Emperor, by God's grace
``We've got you Ratisbon!
``The Marshal's in the market-place,
``And you'll be there anon
``To see your flag-bird flap his vans
``Where I, to heart's desire,
``Perched him!'' The chief's eye flashed; his plans
Soared up again like fire.
The chief's eye flashed; but presently
Softened itself, as sheathes
A film the mother-eagle's eye
When her bruised eaglet breathes;
``You're wounded!'' ``Nay,'' the soldier's pride
Touched to the quick, he said:
``I'm killed, Sire!'' And his chief beside
Smiling the boy fell dead.
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFGHGH IJIJKGKG LALAEMEM XEXXNONO |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Etheree (28%) |
Metre | 111111 011101 101010100 1110101 11111101 111101 11110011 010111 11011111 111111 11110101 101101 110100111 010111 11001101 011101 11110101 010101 11110101 110101 11111101 110111 11111111 111101 1111111 1111 01000101 01111 11111111 1111010 11011111 1101110 01111100 100111 01010101 10111 1110101 110111 11101101 100111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,340 |
Words | 235 |
Sentences | 15 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 40 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 202 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 44 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 02, 2023
- 1:12 min read
- 287 Views
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