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

Happy the man that, when his day is done,
Lies down to sleep with nothing of regret--... 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: ababbXbX cXcXbbbX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1001110101 1101010001 0101111101 0111011101 1011010101 10010101100 1100010101 1011011110 11001110101 1111010111 1011010101 1101010100 1101110101 1100010111 1111010001 1101111110
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 337
  • Average number of words per stanza: 66
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 41 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and is repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word the is repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word ' at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Eugene Field