This is an analysis of the poem The Worms' Contempt that begins with:

What do we earn for all our gentle grace?
A body stiff and cold from foot to face.... 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: aa bb cc dd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,2,2,2,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 1111111101 0101110101 0111010101 0101010101 11111111110 01110111010 11111111110 01011111110
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 89
  • Average number of words per stanza: 18
  • Amount of lines: 8
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • 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; for, and are repeated.

    The author used the same word what at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

  • summary of The Worms' Contempt;
  • 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 Henry Davies