This is an analysis of the poem What Needeth All This Travail? that begins with:

What needeth all this travail and turmoiling
Shortening the life's pleasure... 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: XaaX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11010011100 1000110 0101110 01110101010
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 155
  • Average number of words per stanza: 24
  • Amount of lines: 4
  • Average number of symbols per line: 38 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

  • summary of What Needeth All This Travail?;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by John Wilbye