Analysis of An Apprehension

Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806 (Kelloe) – 1861 (Florence)



IF all the gentlest-hearted friends I know
Concentred in one heart their gentleness,
That still grew gentler till its pulse was less
For life than pity,--I should yet be slow
To bring my own heart nakedly below
The palm of such a friend, that he should press
Motive, condition, means, appliances,

My false ideal joy and fickle woe,
Out full to light and knowledge; I should fear
Some plait between the brows, some rougher chime
In the free voice. O angels, let your flood
Of bitter scorn dash on me ! do ye hear
What I say who hear calmly all the time
This everlasting face to face with GOD ?


Scheme AXBAABX AXCXXCX
Poetic Form
Metre 11010010111 10111100 1111011111 1111011111 11111101 0111011111 1001010100 110110101 1111010111 1101011101 0011110111 1101111111 1111110101 101011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 587
Words 112
Sentences 4
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 7, 7
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 233
Words per stanza (avg) 56
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 30, 2023

33 sec read
170

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era. more…

All Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems | Elizabeth Barrett Browning Books

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