Analysis of How It's Done
William Schwenck Gilbert 1836 – 1911
Bold-faced ranger
(Perfect stranger)
Meets two well-behaved young ladies
He's attractive,
Young and active -
Each a little bit afraid is.
Youth advances,
At his glances
To their danger they awaken;
They repel him
As they tell him
He is very much mistaken.
Though they speak to him politely,
Please observe they're sneering slightly,
Just to show he's acting vainly.
This is Virtue saying plainly,
"Go away, young bachelor,
We are not what you take us for!"
(When addressed impertinently,
English ladies answer gently,
"Go away, young bachelor,
We are not what you take us for!")
As he gazes,
Hat he raises,
Enters into conversation.
Makes excuses -
This produces
Interesting agitation.
He, with daring,
Undespairing,
Gives his card - his rank discloses -
Little heeding
This proceeding,
They turn up their little noses.
Pray observe this lesson vital -
When a man of rank and title
His position first discloses,
Always cock your little noses.
When at home, let all the class
Try this in the looking-glass.
(English girls of well-bred notions
Shun all unrehearsed emotions,
English girls of highest class
Practise them before the glass.)
His intentions
Then he mentions,
Something definite to go on -
Makes recitals
Of his titles,
Hints at settlements, and so on.
Smiling sweetly,
They, discreetly,
Ask for further evidences:
Thus invited,
He, delighted,
Gives the usual references.
This is business. Each is fluttered
When the offer's fairly uttered.
"Which of them has his affection?"
He declines to make selection.
Do they quarrel for his dross?
Not a bit of it - they toss!
Please observe this cogent moral -
English ladies never quarrel.
When a doubt they come across,
English ladies always toss.
Scheme | aaxbbcdceffeggggAHggAH ddecdeiiciicjjcckkllkk llmnnmggdoocppeeqqjjqq |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1110 0110 11101110 1010 1010 10101011 1010 1110 11101010 1011 1111 11101010 11111010 10111010 11111010 11101010 1011100 11111111 1011 10101010 1011100 11111111 1110 1110 1001010 1010 1010 100010 1110 1 11111010 1010 1010 11111010 10111010 10111010 10101010 1111010 1111101 1100101 10111110 11001010 1011101 110101 1010 1110 10100111 1010 1110 11100011 1010 1010 11101000 1010 1010 101001000 11101110 10101010 11111010 10111010 1110111 1011111 10111010 10101010 1011101 101011 |
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 1,644 |
Words | 287 |
Sentences | 22 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 22, 22, 22 |
Lines Amount | 66 |
Letters per line (avg) | 20 |
Words per line (avg) | 4 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 446 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 94 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:26 min read
- 43 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"How It's Done" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/41235/how-it%27s-done>.
Discuss this William Schwenck Gilbert poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In