This is an analysis of the poem The Contented Man that begins with:

I'VE had a heap of fun and I've had a heap of sorrow,
I've had a heap of pleasure and I've had a heap of pain, ...

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: XaXabbcddc efefeebggb ededhhihhi jcjcbXebbe
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 10,10,10,10,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11010111101010 11010101110101 110101110111001011 11010101111010101 1110101 1011011 111010111010101 1111101 1011101 101110100010101 110101011101010 11010101110101 1110001010101110 111011101110101 101101110 11001110 111001100001101 10101010 10111010 101011100010001 110101011101010 11110101111101 11100010111111110 01110100010001 10111010 11101010 1101010101111110 11111010 10101110 1110101001110101 1110101011101010 111011101110101 1010111010101010 11000101010111 1011111 10111100 111011101110011 1110101 1110101 1011000111111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 492
  • Average number of words per stanza: 97
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 48 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i've, heap, of, had, i, and, 'm, for are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words i've, i are repeated.

    The author used the same word i've at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of The Contented Man;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edgar Albert Guest