This is an analysis of the poem The Under-Dogs that begins with:

What have we done, Oh Lord, that we
Are evil starred?...

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: ababcdcd ededbcbc dfdfgbgb XfbfXbXb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11111111 1101 11111100 1111 111101001 1111 11001101 1111 11110111 0111 10111011 1101 11010101 0101 10110111 1101 11111101 1101 11111101 1101 11010111 1001 11111111 1111 11010000 0101 11011101 1101 11111101 1101 11010110 0111
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 372
  • Average number of words per stanza: 43
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 46 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

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

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

  • summary of The Under-Dogs;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Robert William Service