Analysis of Philaster
To give a stronger testimony of love
Than sickly promises (which commonly
In princes find both birth and burial
In one breath), we have drawn you, worthy sir,
To make your fair endearments to our daughter,
And worthy services known to our subjects,
Now loved and wondered at; next, our intent
To plant you deeply our immediate heir
Both to our blood and kingdoms. For this lady
(The best part of your life, as you confirm me,
And I believe), though her few years and sex
Yet teach her nothing but her fears and blushes,
Desires without desire, discourse and knowledge
Only of what herself is to herself,
Make her feel moderate health; and, when she sleeps,
In making no ill day, knows no ill dreams.
Think not, dear sir, these undivided parts
That must mold up a virgin, are put on
To show her so, as borrowed ornaments
To talk of her perfect love to you, or add
An artificial shadow to her nature.
No, sir; I boldly dare proclaim her yet
No woman. But woo her still, and think her modesty
A sweeter mistress than the offered language
Of any dame, were she a queen, whose eye
Speaks common loves and comforts to her servants.
Last, noble son (for so I now must call you),
What I have done thus public is not only
To add comfort in particular
To you or me, but all, and to confirm
The nobles and the gentry of these kingdoms
By oath to your succession, which shall be
Within this month at most.
Scheme | ABCDDEFGBBHIJKLMNOPQDRBJSPTBDUVBW |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1101010011 1101001100 0101110100 0111111101 1111111010 010100111010 11010111001 111101001001 111010101110 01111111011 0101101101 11010101010 0100101010010 1011011101 10110010111 0101111111 111110101 1111010111 110111100 11100111111 101011010 1111010101 1101101010100 01010101010 1101010111 11010101010 11011111111 11111101110 111000100 1111110101 01000101110 1111010111 011111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,400 |
Words | 263 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 33 |
Lines Amount | 33 |
Letters per line (avg) | 33 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 1,089 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 261 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 14, 2023
- 1:18 min read
- 129 Views
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"Philaster" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 3 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/22755/philaster>.
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