Analysis of In Imitation of Chaucer

Alexander Pope 1688 (London) – 1744 (Twickenham)



Women ben full of Ragerie,
Yet swinken not sans secresie.
Thilke Moral shall ye understond,
From Schoole-boy's Tale of fayre Irelond:
Which to the Fennes hath him betake,
To filch the gray Ducke fro the Lake.
Right then, there passen by the Way
His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway.
Ducke in his Trowses hath he hent,
Not to be spied of Ladies gent.
'But ho! our Nephew,' (crieth one)
'Ho!' quoth another, 'Cozen John;'
And stoppen, and lough, and callen out, -
This sely Clerk full low doth lout:
They asken that, and talken this,
'Lo here is Coz, and here is Miss.'
But, as he glozeth with Speeches soote,
The Ducke sore tickleth his Erse-roote:
Fore-piece and buttons all-to-brest,
Forth thrust a white neck, and red crest.
'Te-he,' cry'd Ladies; Clerke nought spake:
Miss star'd; and gray Ducke crieth Quake.
'O Moder, Moder,' (quoth the daughter)
'Be thilke same thing Maids longer a'ter?
'Bette is to pyne on coals and chalke,
'Then trust on Mon, whose yerde can talke.'


Scheme ABCCDDEECCFGCCBBCCCCDDAADD
Poetic Form
Metre 101111 11111 110111 1111111 11011101 11011101 1111101 11010101 1011111 11111101 11101011 1101011 01010101 1111111 111011 11110111 11111101 0111111 11010111 11011011 11110111 1101111 110101010 111111001 101111101 11111111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 960
Words 180
Sentences 12
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 26
Lines Amount 26
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 734
Words per stanza (avg) 171
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 21, 2023

53 sec read
92

Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope (1688-1744) is regarded as one of the greatest English poets, and the foremost poet of the early eighteenth century. He is best known for his satirical and discursive poetry, including The Rape of the Lock, The Dunciad, and An Essay on Criticism, as well as for his translation of Homer. more…

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