Written after Swimming from Sestos to Abydos Literary Elements

The poem is written in first-person-narration, ostensibly meant to be Lord Byron himself.

The poem consists of 5 stanzas with 4 lines each, following the consistent rhyme scheme of ABAB.

There are no metaphors or similes in the poem.

Alliterations:

l. 1: "dark December"
l. 10: "month of May"
l. 19: "lost his labour"

The speaker compares himself to the mythological hero "Leander" who swam across the Hellespont every night. The speaker apparently has crossed the Hellespont as well, though under much more pleasant conditions and reflects that it is ironic that they now share the same fate (death) as well.

The poem is a satorical retelling on a Greek myth.

It is not stated when or where the poem takes place. However, the narrator mentions that he swam across the Hellespont in May.

The tone of the poem is reflective and somewhat amused.

The protagonist is the speaker who compares himself with the Greek mythological figure Leander. There is no antagonist in the poem.

The only conflict that is mentioned in the poem is between Leander and the stormy sea that he swam across and in which he eventually drowned.

There is no climax in the poem.

In line 8, the speaker proclaims that he pities the two lovers from the mythological story, which foreshadows that their story won't end well.

In line 4, the speaker refers to the Hellespont as a "stream", which is an understatement for the large water channel.

The poem alludes to the Greek myth of Leander and Hero throughout.

In line 8, the speaker also alludes to the Roman goddess of love, "Venus"

Metonymy:

l. 19: "his labour" & "my jest"
Both are metonymies for the character's lives (which they lost)

The poem personifies the Hellespont (directly addressed in line 4).

In line 5, the "wintry tempest" is also personified by described to be roaring.

In line 18, the speaker exclaims that "the gods still plague" all humans, which is a hyperbole.

There are no instances of onomatopoeia in the poem.