This is an analysis of the poem When Shall My Wretched Life that begins with:

When shall my wretched life give place to death?
That my sad cares may be enforc’d to leave me.... 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: ababcc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111011101 11111010011 1101111101 11111111011 0111101101 1111111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 277
  • Average number of words per stanza: 56
  • Amount of lines: 6
  • Average number of symbols per line: 45 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

  • summary of When Shall My Wretched Life;
  • 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