This is an analysis of the poem I Know Not What Course Others May Take! that begins with:

Is life so dear?
Or peace so sweet! ...

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: abcXDeX fa gX gfgXXhd eXhDgX ggg bXhXXc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,2,2,7,6,3,6,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0111 1111 10010101011100 0100101 111111011 1111 111001111 1 101111101 11101 1111111011 1011011 11 110010101010 1110011111 01011 001010100 110111011101111 1101 011101101011110 1011000010110 111111011 101 10111100001111 111101 1011 111100010 1 111001111 10010001010100 11 01001101111110110 0010110111010
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 159
  • Average number of words per stanza: 30
  • Amount of lines: 34
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

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

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

  • summary of I Know Not What Course Others May Take!;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Lawrence S. Pertillar