Analysis of The Men And Women, And The Monkeys

Charles Lamb 1775 (Inner Temple, London) – 1834 (Edmonton, London)



When beasts by words their meanings could declare,
Some well-dressed men and women did repair
To gaze upon two monkeys at a fair:

And one who was the spokesman in the place
Said, in their countenance you might plainly trace
The likeness of a withered old man's face.

His observation none impeached or blamed,
But every man and woman when 'twas named
Drew in the head, or slunk away ashamed.

One monkey, who had more pride than the other,
His infinite chagrin could scarcely smother;
But Pug the wiser said unto his brother:

'The slights and coolness of this human nation
Should give a sensible ape no mortification;
'Tis thus they always serve a poor relation.'


Scheme AAA BBB CCC DDD EEE
Poetic Form Triplet
Metre 1111110101 1111010101 1101110101 0111010001 10110011101 0101010111 101010111 11001010111 1001110101 11011111010 11000111010 11010110110 01010111010 110100111 1111101010
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 662
Words 121
Sentences 4
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Lines Amount 15
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 105
Words per stanza (avg) 23
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
36

Charles Lamb

Charles Lamb was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his Essays of Elia and for the children's book Tales from Shakespeare, co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764–1847). Friends with such literary luminaries as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, William Wordsworth, and William Hazlitt, Lamb was at the centre of a major literary circle in England. He has been referred to by E. V. Lucas, his principal biographer, as "the most lovable figure in English literature". more…

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