Analysis of She Was a Phantom of Delight

William Wordsworth 1770 (Wordsworth House) – 1850 (Cumberland)



She was a phantom of delight
When first she gleamed upon my sight;
A lovely Apparition, sent
To be a moment's ornament;
Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair;
Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair;
But all things else about her drawn
From May-time and the cheerful Dawn;
A dancing Shape, an Image gay,
To haunt, to startle, and way-lay.

I saw her upon a nearer view,
A Spirit, yet a Woman too!
Her household motions light and free,
And steps of virgin liberty;
A countenance in which did meet
Sweet records, promises as sweet;
A Creature not too bright or good
For human nature's daily food;
For transient sorrows, simple wiles,
Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene
The very pulse of the machine;
A Being breathing thoughtful breath,
A Traveler between life and death;
The reason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;
A perfect Woman, nobly planned,
To warm, to comfort, and command;
And yet a Spirit still, and bright,
With something of angelic light.


Scheme AAXXBBCCDD EEFFGGXXHH IIJJKKLLAA
Poetic Form Etheree  (27%)
Metre 11010101 11110111 0100101 11010100 0111111 111011 11110101 11100101 01011101 11110011 110010101 01010101 0110101 01110100 01000111 10110011 01011111 11010101 11010101 11110101 01111101 01011001 01010101 010001101 01010101 1001101 00110101 11110001 01010101 1101101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 998
Words 179
Sentences 5
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 10, 10, 10
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 264
Words per stanza (avg) 59
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 30, 2023

54 sec read
517

William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was the husband of Eva Bartok. more…

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