Reading

A Red, Red Rose

Understanding the Text

Answer the following questions.

a. To which two things does the speaker compare his love in the first stanza?
Ans: There are altogether four different stanzas here in this poem where we find the speaker comparing, admiring, wishing and promising. In the very first stanza, the speaker compares his beloved with the fresh, delicate and beautiful red rose of July. Next, he compares her with a sweet melody that is sweetly played in a fine-tune. Here, these comparisons have shown the beauty of the speaker’s beloved.

b. What does the speaker promise in the second and third stanza?
Ans: In the second and third stanza, the speaker promises different things to his beloved. He vows to love his beloved until the earthly seas have dried up, the fire of the sun has melted the ice, and human life is over.

c. What imagery does he use in his promise, and why do you think he uses such language?
Ans: In his promise, he uses hyperbolic imagery. He uses such language to express the intensity of his love for his beloved.

d. In the last stanza, what event is about to happen by mentioning the number of miles?
Ans: From the last stanza, we can opine that one of the love partners is going far from another.

e. Which image in the poem do you find the most memorable or surprising and why?
Ans: Here in this poem, I find the most surprising image of the dry seas throughout the world, because the speaker’s promise is managed in a very interesting way. I keep on pondering the state of the earth without water after reading his lovable promises.

Reference to the Context

a. What can you infer about the speaker’s devotion to his beloved from the following lines?

And I will come again, my love

Tho’ it were ten thousang mile!

Ans: This beautiful promising line has been taken from Robert Burns love poem ‘A Red, Red Rose’. We find this line at the end of the fourth stanza. Here, the speaker is in deep love wth his beloved. He is making a promise with his beloved to return to her life after their temporary separation. He promises to be with her no matter how long the journey is.

b. What is the theme of the poem?
Ans: The poem has the themes of love and passion. The poem is basically concerned with the speaker’s deep love for his beloved. He praises her beauty and expresses his inestimable love for her. His love will remain forever no matter what happens. He bids goodbye to her before they separate, and promises he will come to her even covering the distance of ten thousand miles. 

c. Paraphrase the whole poem into simple prose form?
Ans: The speaker is intensely in love with his beoved. His feelings are so deep and genuine for his beloved. Right now, his beloved is not there with him. By making comparisons, promises, wishes, etc., he keeps recalling his beloved. He compares his lovely beloved to a lovely fresh, delicate June rose and a sweet melody. He promises that he will forever love her. He vows to love and live with her until the oceans have dried ip, the rocks have melted, and human life is over. For a brief moment, he gives her a fine farewell and wishes for her bright future. He promises to be back in her life again, although the journey is very long. 

d. Analyze the poem in terms of the literary devices such as simile, symbolism, imagery, alliteration and assonance.
Ans: The literart analysis shows that with the help of these literary devices the poet has sketched a very vivid and realistic picture of his profound love. Robert Burns has used some literary elements in this poem to show the beauty of the beloved and the intensity of his love. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem has been listed below.

Assonance : Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of lilin ‘I will love thee still, my dear’.

Simile : There are two similes used in this poem. The first is used in the first line “O my Luve is like a red , red rose”. Here, the poet compares his beloved with a red rose. The second is used in the third line “O my Luve is like the melody” and the poet compares his love with sweet melody.

Symbolism : Symbolism means to use symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from their literal meanings. Robert has used “rose” as a symbol of love.

Alliteration : Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sounds of 1/ and /r/ in “O my Luve is like a red, red rose”.

Imagery : Imagery is a distinct representation of something that can be experienced or understood through five senses. Robert has used visual imagery in the poem such as “O my Luve is like a red, red rose”,”And the roocks melt wi’ the sun”.

e. What is hyperbole? Explain its purpose citing examples of hyperbole used in the poem.
Ans: Hyperbole is a literary device that is used to exaggerate a statement for the sake of emphasis. To present the speaker’s depth of love, the poet has used this literary device. We find the use of hyperbole in the second and third stanza where the speaker has claimed that “And I will love thee still my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry”,”And the rocks melt with the sun!”,”While the sands o’ life shall run,” Here, in these lines, the speaker seems to exaggerate his feelings to show his determination of love for her forever. The last two lines “And I will come again, my love, Tho’ it were ten thousand mile!” The speaker exaggerates the distance to show his firm feelings of love. 

f. What is refrain? Why is it used in the poem? Explain citing an examples from the poem.
Ans: A refrain is a phrase or line recurring at intervals in a poem or song, usually at the end of a stanza. The poet has used this device to establish meter of the poem, and indicate its romantic tone. As the line “And I will love thee still, my dear”, has been repeated in the second and the third stanzas, it has become a refrain. When this line recurs in the poem, it becomes noticeable to the readers.

Reference beyond the Text

a. What kind of love is expressed in “A Red, Red Rose”?
Ans: The poet shared his romantic love for his beloved in this poem, A Red, Red Rose, where his feelings are so profound. He compared his beloved with a fresh and beautiful July rose and a sweet melody as well. He also made several promises to always love his beloved.

b. Do you think that love has power? Why do the poets compose poems addressing their beloved?
Ans: Yes, I believe that love has power and the power of love is so influential. Love is a very strong thing and the power of love can pull down a relationship and can as well build up the same; it all depends on what influence it has to offer whether negatively or positively. Love has the power to heal the invisible wounds.

The poets compose the poems addressing their beloved because they feel the poem by placing themselves in the poem. They feel everything and give the mortal form to the poem, emotions to the poem.

c. Poetry is the expression of feeling and emotions. Explain.
Ans: Poetry is the expression of feelings and emotions while allows people to express themselves through the written means. Poetry is a great way to release emotions, exercise creativity and share thoughts and ideas with other people. Writing poetry is an art, a way of expression and finding meaning in few words. A melody of passion flowing out onto the pages, words that flow into each other and yet express the innerost emotions and feelings of those who read the words. The poets can easily express their inner feelings and emotions through few lines of poetry. The creations of the poets have a deep meaning related to human feelings and emotions. The poetic lines create amazing meanings of humans’ feelings and emotions.