This is an analysis of the poem What is Life, or Worldly Pleasure that begins with:

What is life, or worldly pleasure?
What is wealth or golden treasure?... 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: aaXXbXb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 10111010 10111010 10111010 1110110 1010101 10101101 10011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 229
  • Average number of words per stanza: 38
  • Amount of lines: 7
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; what, or are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word what is repeated.

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

  • summary of What is Life, or Worldly Pleasure;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by William Byrd