Analysis of Davids Lamentation for Saul and Jonathan.

Anne Bradstreet 1612 (Northampton) – 1672 (Andover)



2. Sam. 1. 19.Alas slain is the Head of Israel,
Illustrious Saul whose beauty did excell,
Upon thy places mountainous and high,
How did the Mighty fall, and falling dye?
In Gath let not this things be spoken on,
Nor published in streets of Askalon,
Lest daughters of the Philistines rejoyce,
Lest the uncircumcis'd lift up their voice.
O Gilbo Mounts, let never pearled dew,
Nor fruitfull showres your barren tops bestrew,
Nor fields of offrings ever on you grow,
Nor any pleasant thing e're may you show;
For there the Mighty Ones did soon decay,
The shield of Saul was vilely cast away,
There had his dignity so sore a foyle,
As if his head ne're felt the sacred oyle.
Sometimes from crimson, blood of gastly slain,
The bow of Jonathan ne're turn'd in vain:
Nor from the fat, and spoils of Mighty men
With bloodless sword did Saul turn back agen.
Pleasant and lovely, were they both in life,
And in their death was found no parting strife.
Swifter then swiftest Eagles so were they,
Stronger then Lions ramping for their prey.
O Israels Dames, o'reflow your beauteous eyes
For valiant Saul who on Mount Gilbo lyes,
Who cloathed you in Cloath of richest Dye,
And choice delights, full of variety,
On your array put ornaments of gold,
Which made you yet more beauteous to behold.
O! how in Battle did the mighty fall
In midst of strength not succoured at all.
O lovely Jonathan! how wast thou slain?
In places high, full low thou didst remain.
Distrest for thee I am, dear Jonathan,
Thy love was wonderfull, surpassing man,
Exceeding all the love that's Feminine,
So pleasant hast thou been, dear brother mine,
How are the mighty fall'n into decay?
And warlike weapons perished away?


Scheme AABBCCDDEFFGHHIAJJKCLLHFDDBMNNOOJJPQPRHH
Poetic Form
Metre 10111011100 0100111011 0111010001 1101010101 0111111101 1100111 11010101 1011111 110111011 11111011 111110111 11010111111 1101011101 011111101 1111001101 11111110101 011101111 01110011101 1101011101 110111111 1001001101 0011111101 1011010101 1011010111 1111111 1101111101 111011101 0101110100 1101110011 111111101 1101010101 01111111 1101001111 0101111101 111111100 11110101 0101011100 1101111101 11010110101 01101001
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,652
Words 301
Sentences 19
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 40
Lines Amount 40
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 1,324
Words per stanza (avg) 298
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:32 min read
107

Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet was the first poet and first female writer in the British North American colonies to be published. more…

All Anne Bradstreet poems | Anne Bradstreet Books

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