This is an analysis of the poem Retirement that begins with:

HAPPY the mind with self-enjoyment blest,
Who makes the tranquil paths of life her choice;... full text

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: abXbcdcdaeaeXffffgfgdhdhieiebXbjjfifkXkX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 40,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1001010101 1101010101 1101110110 10010010101 1001011101 1111010001 1101100001 010100101001 1001010101 1101010101 010010110001 110010100101 01010101100 0101100101 11010110101 01010101101 01001110101 0101010101 0101010001 010101001001 10101000101 11011010101 0101010001 1101001101 11101010101 11010101001 11010010001 1101010101 1101110101 1111010101 11010010011 01010101010 11011001010 0101010101 0111010111 1101101101 1111010101 0101011101 0101010101 1101010111
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1745
  • Average number of words per stanza: 281
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; with, or, to are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words the, where, or, to are repeated.

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

  • summary of Retirement;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Elizabeth Bentley