This is an analysis of the poem To A Pupil that begins with:

IS reform needed? Is it through you?
The greater the reform needed, the greater the personality you need... 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: abc bccbXd XaXXXd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,6,6,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: rondeau
  • Metre: 001100011 0100011001001010011 00100 1111110110111 010111 11111011011010111 11100111010010101 10011100100101 10100 10100110110 1110101111101010 011001010010110000 10000 11111011010011 10100
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 249
  • Average number of words per stanza: 40
  • Amount of lines: 15
  • Average number of symbols per line: 49 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • 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 speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

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

    The poet repeated the same word personality 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 To A Pupil;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Walt Whitman