Poem Analysis: 'When I Was Fair and Young'

Diction, Imagery, Detail, and Syntax (DIDS) in Poetry—Worksheet

Instructions: Analyze the text you selected and fill out the following worksheet in detail. Provide specific examples from the text that support your analysis.

1. Write the title of the text you have analyzed here:
"When I Was Fair and Young" by Queen Elizabeth I circa 1585
2. List at least three examples of diction in the text that add to the overall tone. Explain how each word contributes to the emotional power of the piece.

"Fair" and "Young" are good choices of words as it conveys o the audience that the Author was highly attractive. “Scorn" Conveys a strong negative emotion. it is stronger than using the word "dislike." Importune is another word that conveys strong emotion; it is an urgent, persistent and intense request. "Fair" and "Young" Gives the poem a more soft and light tone which directly contrasted the intensity involved with the words "Scorn" and "Importune”

3. List at least three examples of imagery in the text that add to the overall tone. Explain how each description contributes to the emotional power of the piece.

Fair and young gave a visualization of Queen Elizabeth I's physical attributes when she was youthful. Scorn gives an image of a hard face and attitude, which again directly contrast the softer, gentler image of young and fair. With "weeping eyes" and "sighing hearts" I could see Elizabeth I's rejected and dejected suitors. Where the author could have chosen more moderate, wild words, she used stronger words to communicate her severe emotions

4. List the examples of important details the author chose to include. Explain how these details contribute to the emotional power of the piece?

Fair and young gives detail about her physical attributes and tells us why she was so lusted after; contributing an heartfelt emotion to the poem. How much men she severely brought to woe and despair by her scorn communicated a somewhat sorrowful emotion.

5. List the examples of important details the author chose to omit. Explain how these missing details contribute to the emotional power of the piece.

The author did not include how her attitude changed after she was no longer fair, young and favored by grace to avoid impeding a moon present in the poem. Additionally, the author did not include how she was changed to no longer fair, young, and favored by grace; possibly to avoid impeding the mood too.

6. Analyze the author’s use of syntax in this text. Are the sentences long or short? Does the author use punctuation to slow down the pace, or short phrases to quicken it? Explain how the sentence structure contributes to the emotional power of the piece.

The Sentences in the poem are medium. Her usage of punctuation and short phrases set a calm and consistent mood in the poem.

7. Select a tone (or multiple tones) from the list of Tone Words. Explain why this tone is the best way to describe this text.

I say fatalistic, and ironic tones best fit the text. It was fatalistic for the author to see her haughty and prideful attitude ruin her beauty, and ironic, as pride comes before the fall (dramatic irony)