Key Poem Information

Central Message: Lasting love requires unwavering commitment, transcending time and distance

Speaker: A lover, likely a male

Poetic Form: Ballad

Themes: Beauty, Desire, Love

Emotions Evoked: Compassion, Hope, Love for Her, Optimism, Passion

Time Period: 18th Century

‘A Red, Red Rose’ by Robert Burns is a poem in the ballad formation of four-line stanzas containing a
loose ABAB rhyme scheme, and that format automatically links the reader to concepts of love and
emotion.

With the addition of metaphors and similes that describe the narrator’s affection and the woman
who holds that affection, the narrator attempts throughout the lines to express the depth of his
“luve.” This could be a final reassurance to his “dear” since the ending stanza reveals that he has to
leave her for “awhile,” but regardless of the reason, the main element of this work remains the
“luve” itself.

Through repetition, simile, metaphor, and structure, Burns has created a work that dives into the
heart of this narrator’s affection.

The poem was also translated into Swedish by Evert Taube and put to music to become a big hit. It
seems Burns’ poetry makes a habit of being transformed into song.

Summary

‘A Red, Red Rose‘ is a romantic declaration of eternal love, where the speaker compares his love to
both a fresh rose and a sweet melody before promising his beloved that his feelings will endure
beyond time itself.

The Poem Analysis Take

The poem, written in the Scots dialect, unfolds with a melodic cadence that echoes the poet's
Scottish background. The red rose is the most striking thing in this grand narrative of romance. The
red rose is masterfully employed as a paradoxical symbolic vessel for profound emotions,
encapsulating both transient beauty and enduring love. Withal, the poem distinctively blends poetry,
music, and culture while echoing universal romantic sentiments.

Analysis, Stanza by Stanza

First Stanza

O my Luve is like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.

Without question, this first stanza expresses the core focus of the poem, which is for the narrator to
declare his affection for his “Luve.” The fact that the endearment of “Luve” is capitalized gives the
title a higher level of significance than what a lowercase concept would address, as if this title is a
proper name attached to the person. The reader does not need to know the name of this lady. The
nickname is sufficient to distinguish who this person is from the narrator.

The spelling of the word “Luve,” is less modern as well, which takes this concept into a historical era.
That strategy elevates the amount of romance that is a part of the situation since ideas of chivalry
and codes of historic courtship are evoked with the spelling. From that, even if this poem were
written today (which it admittedly was not), the language would reach back into those older times to
resurrect outdated but appreciated concepts of love and romance.

What the narrator has to say about his “Luve” is that she is “like a red, red rose.” As a “rose” is the
flower most connected to romance, this is a strong simile. In addition, “red” is seen as a color of
passion, so to attribute that color to the “rose” twice in a row deposits a hefty amount of passion to
the romance—so much so that the color must be repeated.

Beyond the concept of the “rose,” the narrator relates his “Luve” to the “new[ness]” of June and a
“melody [t]hat’s sweetly played in tune.” This indicates the relationship is so refreshing that he feels
renewed through it like a summer day, and a song is in his life because of his “Luve,” which is “sweet”
and perfect. These ideas are highly relevant to the ballad formation of this poem because they are
obvious connections to things that are linked with romantic love. With every new idea brought to the
stanza, it seems the narrator is searching for a means to address the fullness of his “Luve.”

Second Stanza

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

The second stanza of ‘A Red, Red Rose’ begins by stepping back from addressing the narrator’s
feelings and actions to compliment his “bonnie lass” for being “[s]o fair.” Once that compliment is set
in stone, the narrator returns to his own feelings by clearly stating that he is “[s]o deep in luve.” It is
noteworthy that “luve” in this scenario is no longer capitalized, potentially because it is used as a
verb rather than a noun to address the woman he cares for. That differentiation could be an
indication that the woman is more significant than the actual action of “luve,” as if the only reason
he is able to experience this grandness of emotions is because of her. For any other person, then, the
“luve” would be less significant.

From there, the narrator declares he “will luve [her] still…[t]ill a’ the seas gang dry.” This is a clever
way of saying his affection for her will continue forever, and as strong as that declaration is, the
narrator feels sure of it. This could be because his “luve” itself is as “deep” as “the seas,” and just as
they will not “dry” up, he knows for certain his “luve” will continue as well.

One final thing worth noting in this stanza is that the narrator utilizes a new term of endearment for
his “Luve,” and that is “dear.” This term, however, remains lowercase, perhaps because it is not a
strong enough noun to fully represent his affection for this woman. It must be “Luve” to successfully
address it, and only once it is addressed to that full extent does it merit capitalization. Otherwise, any
term of endearment will fall short and merit lowercase lettering.

Third Stanza
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

The narrator begins this third stanza by repeating the idea that he “will luve” her “[t]ill a’ the seas
gang dry” and adds in the repeated endearment of “my dear.” This reveals how strongly the narrator
feels about this concept and how desperate he is to ensure that his beloved understands how long
his affection will endure. In a poem that is only sixteen lines, repeating information severely limits
the ideas the poet can address, so spending so much time on this one concept highlights how
relevant and important it is to the narrator.

From there, the narrator continues with his declarations of how long his “luve” will survive,
specifically addressing “rocks melt[ing] wi’ the sun” and “the sands o’ life…run[ning].” What this
indicates is that as long as the world continues as it is, and so long as “the sands o’ life” allow him to
exist, he “will love” this woman.

Interestingly, the spelling of the word “luve,” has changed in this stanza to a more modern “love.”
This in itself could represent the long reach of his affection, that it is both historical and modern—
past, present, and future. Overall, the narrator wants the vastness of his “love” to be revealed, and
the language does a remarkable job of doing just that.

Fourth Stanza

And fare thee weel, my only luve!

And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.

Though ‘A Red, Red Rose’ does not address why, it is evident in this fourth stanza that the narrator
must leave his “luve.” It is worth noting that the spelling of the word has returned to the more
historical form, but also that he is addressing his “luve” in lowercase letters in this stanza. What this
could indicate is that by leaving, his “luve” must be set aside, and that lower level of priority is
showcased in that lowercase approach.

Whatever reason this narrator must leave, he does not go without reassuring his “luve” that he “will
come again,” even though “ten thousand mile” separate them. The pairing of the plural, “ten
thousand,” with the singular, “mile,” can be seen as evidence that the length of the distance
separating them does not matter. Whether it is multiple “mile[s]” or only one, the narrator is certain
he will return to his “luve.”

That determination is yet another indication of how deeply his “love” runs, as is the repeated notion
of “fare thee weel.” As was already noted, repeating concepts in such a brief poem is a serious
decision since so much of ‘A Red, Red Rose’ is then represented in a handful of words. That his
parting words include the advice—or the plead—for her to be well highlights how much he wishes
her to “fare…weel” during his absence. This shows a level of caring beyond what he experiences
when she is physically near.

Though the “luve” must be put aside for “awhile,” the narrator’s affections still remain, and the
depth of that affection is the key element of this poem.
  “A Red, Red Rose” Themes

Love and Change

“A Red, Red Rose” begins by describing the speaker’s love for a beloved with images that are
beautiful but not necessarily long-lasting. The speaker then affirms, however, that his or her love will
outlast human life itself. Through the speaker’s paradoxical (but passionate) claims, the poem argues
that true love is both constantly renewing and completely unchangeable.

The speaker begins by describing love in terms that are beautiful but that don’t immediately suggest
permanence. The first lines compare the speaker’s love to “a red, red rose.” “Luve” could refer to the
beloved, the person the speaker loves. It could also refer to the speaker’s feelings for this person.
Saying the beloved is like a rose “newly sprung in June” emphasizes her beauty and youth.
Meanwhile, saying that the speaker’s love for her is like a new rose implies that this is a new
relationship, with all the freshness and excitement of a developing romance. Of course, a rose can
only be “newly sprung” for a short time; June ends after thirty days, and flowers fade quickly. If the
speaker’s love is just like a new rose, maybe it won’t last very long.

The speaker then says this love is like “a melody / That’s sweetly played in tune.” But again,
instruments can go out of tune, just as flowers can fade. The newness and excitement of the
speaker’s love initially make it seem somewhat unstable.

Then, however, the speaker goes on to emphasize how long this love will last. The speaker uses three
images to measure how long these feelings of love will last: the seas going dry, the rocks melting, and
the sands of life running out. These events could only occur after eons of time, if ever. It seems now
that the speaker’s love, far from lasting only as long as a flower, will actually endure longer than
human life. Although these conflicting descriptions of the speaker’s love sound like a paradox, the
speaker continues to insist that true love really can embody these seemingly opposite qualities of
newness and permanence.

In the final stanza, the speaker bids farewell to the beloved, as if the speaker is planning to leave on a
journey. The beloved doesn’t need to worry, though, because the speaker promises to return, even if
the journey is “ten thousand mile[s]” long. This promise implies that, just as long stretches of time
could not exhaust the speaker’s love for the beloved, a long stretch of distance cannot keep the
speaker from her. And the length of this journey now seems short—just “awhile”—compared to the
near-infinite time the speaker’s love will last. It seems, then, that love like the speaker’s is powerful
enough to make earthly obstacles (like physical distance) feel insignificant. That is, this love is reliable
and constant, but it also feels fresh and exciting enough to adapt to changed circumstances. The
moment of farewell in the final stanza highlights the speaker’s core argument: love that lasts forever
is also love that allows for change over time.
 o

Beauty, Youth, and Aging

“A Red, Red Rose” initially suggests that the speaker’s love is generated by the beloved’s youth and
beauty—qualities that fade with time. The speaker then affirms, however, that these temporary
qualities actually give rise to feelings that persist eternally, through aging and even through death.
The poem seems to argue that beauty and youth are so powerful that they can inspire feelings that
last long after these qualities themselves are gone.

The speaker begins with an image of the beloved that emphasizes her youth and beauty, suggesting a
love that is enthusiastic but likely to fade with time. The speaker tells the reader that this love “like a
red, red rose.” Roses are most beautiful when “newly sprung”—but this is a beauty that, by
definition, cannot last. Newness ends quickly, and all flowers eventually fade—they cannot be “red,
red” forever. If “my Luve” refers to the beloved, then comparing her to a rose acknowledges that she
is beautiful now but that her beauty will fade over time. Or, if “my Luve” refers to the speaker’s
feelings for her, then it seems that the speaker’s feelings may also fade over time.
As the poem continues, however, the speaker suggests that the impermanent qualities of youth and
beauty give rise to a love that is permanent. The speaker’s love will remain constant even through
aging, decay, and death. In the second stanza, the speaker affirms the beloved’s beauty—“So fair art
thou”—and the speaker’s strong love for her—“So deep in luve am I.” The parallel phrases starting
with "So" suggest a causal connection between the two ideas. It is because she is so beautiful, as
beautiful as a rose, that the speaker’s feelings for her are so strong. They are so strong, in fact, that
they will last longer than any rose. Somewhat counterintuitively, the poem claims that the speaker’s
love will actually outlast the rose-like beauty that initially inspired it.

To indicate how long he or she will love the beloved, the speaker uses three images: the sea going
dry, the rocks melting with the sun, and the sands of life running out. These images represent great
lengths of time (it would take an eternity for these events to happen) and, crucially, also describe
processes of decay. They show the natural world losing its vitality and form, in much the same way as
an individual flower would. Through these images, the speaker is indirectly confronting the reality of
aging and death—not just in the natural world, but also in the lives of this couple. The speaker
implies that he or she will continue to love the beloved even as she ages and her beauty decays. That
is, her beautiful appearance may have first inspired their love, but their love will endure even when
her beauty is gone. It will last, in fact, until the sands of their lives have run out and they draw close
to death.

When the speaker promises to return after a long journey, knowing the beloved will have aged in
that time, the speaker reaffirms that his or her feelings will remain the same even though the
beloved may grow less beautiful. The speaker concludes by bidding farewell to the beloved and
promising to return to her, even if the journey is “ten thousand mile[s]” long. The beloved will likely
be older, less youthful, and perhaps less beautiful by the time the speaker returns. Nevertheless, the
speaker does promise to return, indicating that although the beloved may change, the speaker’s
feelings will remain constant. Through the final promise, the poem indicates again that the love
youthful beauty inspires need not end when youth itself ends.

“A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns Essay

Introduction

“A Red, Red Rose”, written by Robert Burns, is a four stanza poem, with four lines in each stanza. The
poem begins with the conventional image of rose, a red rose, to represent love, and then it deviates
into images like rocks and sands. Though it has all the qualities of a traditional ballad, it attains a very
complex nature, deserving to be read in the context of modern interpretations, like the theory of
deconstruction formulated by Derrida. This brief paper takes a look at the poem in order to discuss
the important literary devices used in it

Discussion

In the first stanza the poet compares love to a rose and then to a sweet melody: “O MY Luve ‘s like a
red, red rose …O my Luve ‘s like the melodie” (Burns). These images are conventional, but they also
imply their opposite meanings. A rose has thorns as love is never without its thorny sides. Both the
rose and the melody remind that they are short-lived, temporal, though sweet. Therefore, the poet’s
intention is to foreground the element of time in love relationship and show the ambiguity inherent
in it. In fact, the poet begins the poem in the conventional mode, but gradually deviates into the
language of binary oppositions.
Burns further explains the intricacies of love in the second stanza by continuing to play with the
theme of time. He is stressing on the depth of his love by asserting that his love will last till the seas
go dry: “Till a’ the seas gang dry/ And the rocks melt wi’ the sun” (Burns). Though it is an impossible
possibility, he wants to establish the desire for eternal love, knowing that the life of rose like the
length of melody is temporal. The reality of love reminds the readers that in real life the opposite of
what the poet says happens. Carrying his theme again into the third stanza, the poet exaggerates
that his love will last till the rocks melt away or till the sands of life run: “I will luve thee still, my
dear,/ While the sands o’ life shall run” (Burns). From familiar metaphors the poet moves away with
metaphors like rocks and sands, which are not familiar. The irony implied here is that the lovers will
not be there to witness such an eventuality, as rocks will never melt. Their nearness reminds the
lovers of its opposite, of the inevitability of parting. Therefore, the lover promises to come back
again, even if he travels ten thousand miles away.

The poet, apart from resorting to the metaphors like flower and melody, clearly depicts the process
of time in nature by giving emphasis on the change of season, the inevitability of decay, and by
showing that parting is also implicit in this process of transition. The human desire is to return to the
beloved: “And I will come again, my Luve” (Burns). Thus the metaphors in the poem help the poet in
establishing the complex nature of relationship. The transition of an image to the next image looks
smooth, like the thought of red rose leading to the thought of melody, both very sweet to the lovers’
senses. It is only when the reader thinks of the binary opposition to which these images take them;
the poem attains an extraordinary quality. Otherwise, it remains as an old ballad. In other words, one
has to read the poem in the light of the various devices used by the poet.

Conclusion

The greatness of the poem is in its literariness. The alternating tetrameters and trimesters, with their
four and three stressed syllables, add musical greatness to the poem. It was meant to be sung as
popular music and love as its central theme meets the taste of the readers. It also reveals the irony of
love at the end. Its ability to allow modern literary interpretation is its real success.

 Popularity of “A Red, Red Rose”: Robert Burns, a famous Scottish poet, and lyricist wrote
this poem. It is one of the most popular love poems and was first published in 1794. The
poem explores the phenomenon of love. It comprises the narrator’s attempt to express the
depth of his love. Since its publication, it has gained a lot of popularity across the globe.

 “A Red, Red Rose” As a Representative of Love: The poet, very artistically draws a picture of
his profound love. He paints this picture with intense emotions. The speaker compares
his beloved with “a red rose” and “sweet melody” to intensify his deep feelings for her. He
addresses her, proclaiming that his love will stay still until the seas dry up and the rocks melt
with the sun because his beloved is so adorable. For some reasons, he has to go far away
from her, but he promises to return even if he has to travel thousands of miles to win her
back. What enchants the reader is the metaphorical representation of love through natural
phenomena the sea and the sun.

 Major themes in “A Red, Red Rose”: Love and separation are the major themes given in the
poem. The poet has layered them with using metaphors of natural objects. The poem is
 primarily concerned with the speaker’s love for his significant other. He adores
her beauty and expresses his immeasurable love for her. His love is so deep-rooted that it
will stay forever no matter what happens.

Analysis of Literary Devices in “A Red, Red Rose”

literary devices are tools that enable the writers to present their ideas, emotions, and feelings and
also help the readers understand those more profound meanings. Robert Burns has also 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.

 Simile: Simile is a device used to compare an object or a person with something else to make
the meanings clear to the readers. 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.

 Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the
sound of /l/ in “ And fare thee weel awhile!”.

 Enjambment: Enjambment refers to the continuation of a sentence without the pause

beyond the end of a line, couplet or stanza such as:

“O my Luve is like the melody

That’s sweetly played in tune.”

 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 /l/ 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 rocks melt wi’ the sun” and “While the sands o’ life
shall run”.

 Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a device used to exaggerate a statement for the sake of emphasis.
The poet has used hyperbole in the last line of the second stanza, “Till a’ the seas gang dry.”
He says that his love will flow even when the seas dry up. The second is used in the third
stanza, “And the rocks melt wi’ the sun.”

 Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound
of /i/ in “I will love thee still, my dear”.

The literary analysis shows that with the help of these literary devices the poet has sketched a very
vivid and realistic picture of his profound love.

Analysis of Poetic Devices in “A Red, Red Rose”

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of
some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
  Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some line. There are four stanzas in this poem; each
consists of four lines.

 Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-lined stanza borrowed from Persian poetry. Here, each stanza
is quatrain as the first one and the second one.

 Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABCB rhyme scheme and this pattern continues
throughout the poem.

 Iambic Trimeter: Iambic trimeter is a meter in which there are three iambs per line. For
example, “That’s newly sprung in June.”

 Iambic Tetrameter: Iambic tetrameter is a meter in which there are four iambic feet per line.
For example, “As fair art thou my bonnie lass.”

 Repetition: There is the repetition of the line, “I will love thee still, my dear” which has
created musical quality in the poem.

 Refrain: The lines that are repeated again at some distance in the poems are called refrain.
The line, “And I will luve thee still, my dear” has become a refrain, as it has been repeated in
second and the third stanzas.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below can be used to write Valentine day cards or a love note to express the beauty
of the person you love

“My Luve is like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;
my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.”

“A Red, Red Rose”: Critical Detailed Analysis And Summary

Background

Robert Burns composed “A Red, Red Rose” which is a Scots ballad, in 1794, based on folklore. This
ballad is often referred to as a song, and has also been published as a poem under the title “Oh my
love is Like a Red, Red Rose”. Burns’ poem has been adapted to music by a variety of musicians, but
“Low Down in the Broom” which is considered a traditional melody, is also made famous worldwide.

Form

Robert Burns’s poem “A Red, Red Rose” has a ballad structure that is consisting of four-line stanzas
with a loose ABAB rhyme scheme which automatically connects the reader to ideas of love and
emotion.

The narrator makes an effort to convey the depth of his “love” throughout the lines by using
metaphors and similes to depict his devotion and the woman for whom he has it. Since the final
verse indicates that he must leave her for a while”, this might be his last chance to reassure his
“loved”, but despite the motivation, the focus of the poem is still on the word “love” itself.
Evert Taube also provided a Swedish translation of the poem, which was later set to music and made
popular. It seems that many poems are songs that are frequently adapted from Burns’ poetry.

Summary

The speaker compares his or her love- or may be considering the sentiments of love attached to him
for that person and compares it to a newly blooming flower, saying that it is as lovely, colourful and
new.
This love is as tender as a lovely song performed by a talented musician.

The speaker has a deep and intense passion for the beloved because she is so stunning.

In fact, the speaker’s love for the beloved is so intense that it will endure until the oceans have dried
up.

The speaker will love his beloved even after the sea vanishes and the earth deteriorates. Their love is
so strong that it will sustain itself over the end of their own lives as well as the lives of the human
race.

The speaker assures her that she is the only person she loves before bidding farewell to the beloved.

The speaker gives her reassurance and wishes her all luck while they become apart for a while.

By vowing to return even if the voyage is very long and very far away, the speaker reinforces his or
her steadfast love.

Analysis

Stanza 1

“O my Luve is like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;

O my Luve is like the melody

That’s sweetly played in tune. “

Without a doubt, the poem’s main purpose is for the narrator to communicate his love for his so-
called “Luve”, which is expressed in this first verse. Given that the word “Luve” is capitalized, the title
has more weight than it would with a lowercase notion as if it were a legitimate name for the
subject.

It is not necessary for the reader to know this woman’s name. The narrator is able to identify this
person only by knowing her nickname.

Additionally, the way the term “Luve” is spelt is less contemporary, which places this idea in a more
antiquated time. Since the spelling evokes notions of chivalry and rules of traditional courtship, this
tactic increases the amount of romance present in the circumstance.

Because of that, even if this poem had been written today, the language would reach back into those
earlier eras to revive archaic but beloved ideals of love and romance.

The narrator claims that his “Luve” is “like a red, red rose” in his description of her. This is a powerful
comparison because the flower is mostly associated with romance is the “rose”.
Additionally, as “red” is seen as a colour of passion, ascribing it to the “rose” twice in a succession
adds a significant degree of emotion to the romance- enough so that the colour must be repeated.

Stanza 2

“So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a’ the seas gang dry.”

In the second stanza of the poem, the narrator takes a step back from discussing his thoughts and
deeds to praise his “bonnie lass” for being “so pretty”. The narrator then explicitly states that he is
“so deep in luve” after the compliment has been inscribed in stone.

It is interesting to observe that “luve” is no longer capitalized in this situation, possibly because he is
using it as a verb but not as a noun to refer to the woman he cares about. That distinction can
suggest that the woman is more important than the act of “luve” as if she is the sole reason he is
able to feel such a vast range of emotions.

The “luve” would be less substantial for anyone else, therefore.

The narrator continues by saying he “will luve [her] still [till] a’ the waters gang dry. “ This is a smart
way of conveying that his love for her will endure forever, and it does not matter how deep and
intense the declaration is. This might be the case since his “luve” is as “deep” as “the seas”, and just
as he is assured that it won’t end, neither will it end their relationship.

Finally, it’s important to note that the narrator introduces the word “dear” as a new term of
endearment for his “Luve” in this verse. However, this term is still written in lowercase, possibly
because it isn’t a strong enough noun to adequately express his love for this particular woman.

To adequately address it, it must be “Luve” and only after it has been sufficiently addressed merits
capitalization. Otherwise, any expression of endearment will be inadequate and should be written in
lowercase.

Stanza 3

“Till a the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;

I will love thee still, my dear,

While the sands o’ life shall run.”

In the third verse, the narrator adds the repeated term “my beloved” to the idea that he “shall luve”
her “till a’ the seas gang dry”. This illustrates how passionate the narrator is about this idea and how
determined he is to make sure that his loved one is aware of how long his love may last.

Spending so much time on a single theme emphasizes how relevant and significant it is to the
narrator because repetition severely restricts the ideas that may be addressed in a poem with only
sixteen lines.
The narrator then continues to make predictions about how long his “luve” will last, mentioning in
particular “rocks melting” with the sun” and “the sands o’ life…running”, which means that he “will
love” this woman as long as the world stays intact and as long as “the sands of life” permit him to
live.

It is interesting to note that in this verse, the word “luve” is now spelt as “love”, which is more
contemporary. This alone may be a symbol of his affection’s broad reach because it spans the past
first, then the present, and lastly the future. Overall, the narrator wishes to portray the depth of his
“love”, and the language does a wonderful job of accomplishing that.

Stanza 4

“And fare thee weel, my only luve!

And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my luve,

Though it were ten thousand miles.”

The fourth stanza of “A Red, Red Rose” makes it clear that the narrator must be leaving his “luve”,
even though the poem lacks any validated explanation. The world’s wording changed back to its
more traditional form, but this verse also uses lowercase letters to refer to his love.

This can mean that in order to leave, his “luve” must be put on hold, and that lower degree of
importance is highlighted by the use of lowercase. Despite the fact that they are separated by a “ten
thousand mile”, the narrator never leaves without telling his “luve” that he “will come again”.

The fact that the words “ten thousand” and “mile” are used together suggests that it is irrelevant
how far apart they are from one another.

The narrator is confident he will eventually return to his “luve”, whether it takes him several “mile[s]”
or just one. That conclusion, along with the repeated utterance of “fare thee weel”, is yet another
indicator of how deeply his “love” flows.

Since so much of “A Red, Red Rose” is then encapsulated in just a few words, it is a significant choice
to repeat ideas in such a condensed poem, as was already mentioned. His counsel or request for her
to stay healthy in his leaving words shows how much he wants her to “fare…well”.

This demonstrates a degree of concern greater than what he feels while her physically close by.

The intensity of the narrator’s affections, not the fact that the “luve” must be set aside for “awhile” is
what makes this poem stand out.

Theme

Power of Love

In the first lines of “A Red, Red Rose,” the speaker expresses his or her affection for a beloved
through pictures that are both lovely and fleeting. But the speaker goes on to say that love will
outlive even human life. The poem makes the argument that real love is both continuously renewing
and immutable through the speaker’s paradoxical (but fervent) declarations.

The poet begins by using beautiful language to describe love which lacks impermanence.
The speaker compares their love to “a crimson, red rose.” The term “luve” can also be used to
describe the speaker’s adored. It might also allude to the speaker’s affection for this individual. The
phrase “newly sprung in June,” which compares the lover to a rose, highlights her charm and youth.

The speaker’s passion for her is similar to a new rose, on the other hand, alluding to the fact that this
can be a nascent engagement, with all the novelty and exhilaration of a blossoming passion.

The speaker bids the lover farewell in the penultimate stanza, as though the speaker were about to
embark on a journey. However, the speaker assures the lover that he will come back, regardless of
the distance travelled which is “ten thousand mile[s]”.

This declaration indicates that, just as extended periods couldn’t dim the speaker’s affection for the
beloved, an extended period of separation couldn’t keep him from her. And in comparison to the
seemingly endless amount of time the speaker’s love will last, the duration of this voyage now looks
brief—just “a while.”

The speaker’s love seems to be strong enough to overcome challenges on earth (such as physical
distance), it seems.

Power of Time over youth, Beauty, and Charm

The initial interpretation of “A Red, Red Rose” implies that the speaker’s love is motivated by the
beloved’s beauty and youth, these qualities that deteriorate with time. The speaker affirms that
these qualities lead to a rise in emotion that is long-lasting even throughout the death.

The poem seems to dawn with the realization that youth and beauty are so potent that they don’t
fail to arouse long-standing emotions.

The speaker introduces the lover with a picture highlighting her beauty and youth and implying a
passionate love that may wane over time. The love is analogous to a blooming red rose when they
have just “newly sprung” and have their beauty fleeting by nature.

The flowers eventually fade because they fail to hold their novelty forever. If “my Luve” is referring to
a beloved, then likening her to a rose admits that while she is beautiful today, her beauty will
deteriorate with time. Alternatively, if “my Luve” alludes to the speaker’s affections for her, it would
appear that those feelings would likewise dwindle with time.

But as the poem progresses, the speaker claims that youth and beauty despite being transient can
give rise to eternal love. Even in the face of ageing, deterioration, and death, the speaker’s love will
not change. The speaker emphasizes the beloved’s attractiveness in the second verse with lines “So
lovely are thou” and “So deep in luve am I”.

The speaker’s affections for her are so strong as she is gorgeous and lovely like a rose. The poem
asserts counter-intuitively, that the speaker’s love will endure longer than the rose-like beauty that
served as its first inspiration.

The speaker asserts that his or her sentiments will remain intact even if the beloved may lose some
of her beauty with age, and the speaker makes a long-distance pledge to return, knowing the
beloved will have aged during that time. The poem ends by saying goodbye to the beloved and
making a promise to find her again, even if the trip is “ten thousand miles” long.

By the time the speaker returns, the lover shall probably get older, less young, and possibly less
attractive. Even so, the speaker makes a commitment to return, demonstrating that even if the
beloved changes, the speaker’s affection towards her will not.
The poem makes the penultimate promise that the love of youthful beauty does not need to end
with youth itself.

Meaning

This poem explores the bond between man and nature, the enduring nature of love, and the potency
of human emotions. The speaker of the poem begins by comparing his beloved to “A Red, Red Rose”.
The poet draws a comparison of his love to that of a fresh, young red rose that has just bloomed in
the spring.

He makes the analogy between his love and a tenderly performed song. He says of his lady love, “So
deep in luve am I”, that his lady love is a fair art and beautiful. He will adore her till the waters have
dried up and the sun melts the rocks. This love will last as long as he lives and till the end of the
planet. He promises to return later on but bids goodbye for the moment.

Literary Devices

The depth of his love and beauty of the lady was described by Robert Burns using some of the same
techniques. Alliteration, assonance, symbolism, imagery, and simile are some of the more prevalent
literary strategies.

Simile

To clarify the meanings, an object or person is compared with something else. In a simile, the
comparison term “like” is employed. In this poetry, the poet employs two similes.

The poem’s opening line contains the first simile. “My love is as red as a crimson rose” In this
passage, he likens his sweetheart to a crimson rose. “O my love is like the song” is the second simile.
He likens her to a lovely tune in this sentence.

Symbolism

Symbols have been heavily used in this poem to express concepts that are in contrast to their literal
meanings, symbolism provides a symbolic meaning. For instance, the use of “red rose” is used as
symbolic of passion and love. The rose represents the speaker and his loved one in this passage.

Imagery

Imagery is the representation that can be realized by the five senses. In this poem, the poet
employed three images. They are “And the rocks melt with the sun” “O my love is like a crimson, red
rose” and “While the sands of life shall run.”

Alliteration

Consonant sounds are repeated in the same line. The following sentence uses alliteration: “O my love
is like a crimson red rose.” Here, the sounds /I/ and /r/ are repeated in the words “love” and “like” as
well as “red red rose”.

Assonance

Assonance is the repetition used in the vowel sounds in the same line. Assonance was found in the
line of the poem, “I will love thee still, my sweet”. Will and yet in this sentence both repeat the /i/
sound.