Analysis of An Hymn to Humanity
Phillis Wheatley 1753 (West Africa) – 1784 (Boston)
Lo! for this dark terrestrial ball
Forsakes his azure-paved hall
A prince of heav'nly birth!
Divine Humanity behold,
What wonders rise, what charms unfold
At his descent to earth!
The bosoms of the great and good
With wonder and delight he view'd,
And fix'd his empire there:
Him, close compressing to his breast,
The sire of gods and men address'd,
"My son, my heav'nly fair!
"Descend to earth, there place thy throne;
"To succour man's afflicted son
"Each human heart inspire:
"To act in bounties unconfin'd
"Enlarge the close contracted mind,
"And fill it with thy fire."
Quick as the word, with swift career
He wings his course from star to star,
And leaves the bright abode.
The Virtue did his charms impart;
Their G-----! then thy raptur'd heart
Perceiv'd the rushing God:
For when thy pitying eye did see
The languid muse in low degree,
Then, then at thy desire
Descended the celestial nine;
O'er me methought they deign'd to shine,
And deign'd to string my lyre.
Can Afric's muse forgetful prove?
Or can such friendship fail to move
A tender human heart?
Immortal Friendship laurel-crown'd
The smiling Graces all surround
With ev'ry heav'nly Art.
Scheme | AABCCB XXDEED XXFGGH XXXIIX JJHKKF LLIMMI |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111101001 111011 01111 01010001 11011101 110111 0110101 11000111 0111001 11010111 010110101 11111 01111111 1110101 110101 1101001 01011001 0111110 11011101 11111111 010101 01011101 111111 010101 111100111 01010101 1111010 01000101 10111111 011111 1110101 11110111 010101 01010101 01010101 1111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,179 |
Words | 205 |
Sentences | 18 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 |
Lines Amount | 36 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 150 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 33 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 01, 2023
- 1:06 min read
- 463 Views
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"An Hymn to Humanity" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 12 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/29360/an-hymn-to-humanity>.
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