Class 11 English Lesson 9: Poem: A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns

 

Poem: A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns (page 245)

About the Poet

“A Red, Red Rose” is a poem composed by Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. It was first published in 1794 in a collection of traditional Scottish songs set to music. Burns’ poem was inspired both by a simple Scots song he had heard in the country and by published ballads from the period.

Central Idea of the Poem

The central idea of "A Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns is the depth and everlasting nature of true love. The poet compares his love to a red rose and a sweet melody to show its beauty and passion. He promises to love his beloved forever, even if the seas dry up or rocks melt. His love remains strong despite distance or time, making the poem a powerful expression of eternal, romantic devotion.

Summary of the Poem

The poem has the form of a ballad and is meant to be sung aloud. It describes the speaker’s deep love for his or her beloved and promises that this love will last longer than human life and even the planet itself, remaining fresh and constant forever.

The speaker describes his or her love, meaning either the person the speaker loves or the speaker's feelings of love for that person, as being as beautiful, vivid, and fresh as a flower that has just recently bloomed. This love is as sweet as a beautiful song played by a skilled musician. The beloved is so beautiful that the speaker loves her with a deep and strong passion, so strong that the speaker's love will last until the oceans have become dry. Even after the seas have evaporated and the earth has decayed, the speaker will still love the beloved.

This love will endure until their own lives have ended and even until all human life has ended. The speaker concludes by saying goodbye to the beloved, who is, the speaker reminds her, the only person the speaker loves. The speaker wishes her well during their temporary separation. The speaker reaffirms his or her faithful love by promising to return even if the journey covers a very long distance and takes a very long time.

In the first stanza, the speaker tells his beloved how beautiful she is. She is like a fresh red rose. The Red rose is the symbol of love and romance. It represents true love. Then, he compares her to a nicely played melody. Here, he has used two similes --- the first, comparing his love to a rose, and the second, comparing her to a sweet melody. Here we find sincere praise of the poet for his beloved's appearance and temperament. In the second stanza, he expresses how deep his love is. He loves her to infinity. He loves her till all the seas go dry. In the last line of the stanza, he uses hyperbole. It is a figure of speech that exaggerates. The seas are going dry is a hyperbole. 

As in the third stanza, the speaker says how much he loves her in the third stanza. He will continue to love her till the rocks melt by the heat of the sun. This also shows his eternal love for her. He also says that his love will continue while 'the sands of life shall run. This means till the end of his life. In the final stanza, he says that although he has to leave her for a while, he will certainly return to her, even if he has to take a long journey (ten thousand miles). In other words, he promises to love her as far as he might go.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdT1utxCR1w

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a.      To which two things does the speaker compare his love in the first stanza?

The two things the speaker compares his love to in the first stanza are the red rose and the melody (music).

b.     What does the speaker promise in the second and third stanzas?

In the second and third stanzas, the speaker promises that he will love his beloved until the seas become dry, the rocks melt in the sun, and he is alive.

c.      What imagery does he use in his promise, and why do you think he uses such language?

He uses hyperbolic imagery in his promise that is the imagery of dry seas, melted rocks, ended human life in the second and third stanza, and an image of a long journey in the fourth stanza. I think he uses such language because his love is so deep and true for his beloved.

d.     In the last stanza, what event is about to happen by mentioning the number of miles?

In the last stanza, the speaker is going to separate from his beloved by mentioning the number of miles.

e.      Which image in the poem do you find the most memorable or surprising, and why?

The image of dry seas and melted rocks is the most memorable or surprising because this exaggeration makes us realize the speaker’s devotion to his beloved and the eternity of his love for her.

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