Structure

Overall, "The Greatest Grandeur" does not have a very strict structure. There is no particular set length for each line, no standard rhyme scheme, and no consistency in the lengths of the stanzas. What it does do, though, is follow the structure of a logical argument. Each of the first four stanzas begins with a statement that tells readers that it is just putting forth some of the argument but not the whole thing. There is a temporary feeling to the statements "Some say" and "And some declare" and "Some claim" and "others," indicating that the poem is not willing to accept these standards, and in fact, it is not. The final stanza contains the interpretation of the greatest grandeur that the poet accepts, and it is presented as if it is the summary of the all of the ideas that were previously suggested.

Monologue

For the most...