Analysis of The Question Whither
George Meredith 1828 (Portsmouth, Hampshire) – 1909 (Box Hill, Surrey)
When we have thrown off this old suit,
So much in need of mending,
To sink among the naked mute,
Is that, think you, our ending?
We follow many, more we lead,
And you who sadly turf us,
Believe not that all living seed
Must flower above the surface.
Sensation is a gracious gift,
But were it cramped to station,
The prayer to have it cast adrift
Would spout from all sensation.
Enough if we have winked to sun,
Have sped the plough a season;
There is a soul for labour done,
Endureth fixed as reason.
Then let our trust be firm in Good,
Though we be of the fasting;
Our questions are a mortal brood,
Our work is everlasting.
We children of Beneficence
Are in its being sharers;
And Whither vainer sounds than Whence,
For word with such wayfarers.
Scheme | ABABXCXC DEDEEEEE XBXBXCXC |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 11111111 1101110 11010101 11111010 11010111 0111011 01111101 11001010 01010101 1011110 01111101 1111010 01111111 1101010 1101111 11110 111011101 1111010 101010101 1011010 11010100 101101 0101111 11111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 737 |
Words | 145 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 24 |
Letters per line (avg) | 24 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 194 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 47 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 43 sec read
- 108 Views
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