Tamerlane

“Tamerlane” has gone through several incarnations since its original inception, with entire stanzas being altered, added, and removed even after its initial publication. The poem originally had 406 lines and went through several revision art periods. The version for which this guide is written has 243 lines and is the most often reproduced. It consists of 19 stanzas of irregular length, ranging from 6 to 22 lines each.

Most of the poem is written in iambic tetrameter, or eight syllables composed of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. However, there is significant variation, with some lines having extra syllables and some being shortened for emphasis. For example, the opening line, “Kind solace in a dying hour” (Line 1), is written in perfect iambic tetrameter, while “Hath not the same fierce heirdom given” (Line 30) has an extra syllable at the end. The line “To fantasies—with none” (Line 85) has only six syllables and is used to close its stanza on a note of finality.

While the poem utilizes regular end rhymes, the rhyme structure varies from one stanza to another. Some begin with an alternating rhythm: ABAC or ABAB; others begin with two or more end rhymes in a row.