An Analysis of A Red, Red Rose

by Robert Burns

Composed by:

Alvrid Argianto AAA 117 007

Bella Oktariana AAA 117 006
Desihastuti Baastihu AAA 117 017
Epifania Alexia AAA 117 001
Kristinae Veronica Evitawanty AAA 117 013
Yoskapela AAA 117 016

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
UNIVERSITY OF PALANGKA RAYA
2018
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Poetry is an art form in which language is mostly used as a mediator of

feelings and emotion. Many poets like to play with the sound of language or offer an
emotional insight by describing what they see in highly descriptive language. Thus,
poetry often makes the readers to feel what the author feels. Many people tend to think
that there is nothing essential in poetry. However, the truth is that every poem has a deep
message behind it, whether it is hidden or written. Being so, poetry becomes something
that we need to learn and analyze. To define poetry, there are characteristics that poetry
has, namely diction, the speaking tone of voice, figurative language, and values.
Accordingly, we are interested to learn more about poetry and this paper is aimed to find
out and analyze the diction, the speaking tone of voice, the figurative language, and the
message of one of the most famous poetries by Robert Burns entitled A Red, Red Rose.

1.2 Objectives of Analysis

 To find out the poet’s choice of words (diction)
 To describe the poet’s attitude toward the audience through the speaking tone of
voice used by the poet
 To describe the figurative language used in A Red, Red Rose
 To discuss the messages or moral values in A Red, Red Rose
1.3

ROBERT BURNS (1759-1796)

A Red, Red Rose

O, my luve is like a red, red rose

That’s newly sprung in June;
O, my luve is like the melodie
That’s sweetly played in tune.

As 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. (all; go)

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.

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!
 CHAPTER II
ANALYSIS OF A RED, RED ROSE

2.1 Diction
Robert Burns’ diction in A Red, Red Rose may be considered dialectical.
Based on Robert Burns’ background, Robert Burns was a Scottish poet. The
selection of words shows the linguistics characteristics of Scottish English. For
example: fare thee weel, my only luve (line ), Till a’ the seas gang dry (line )
A Red, Red Rose begins with passionate imagery of love, as noted in
words such as “red”, “rose”, “melody”, and “June”. The word “rose” symbolizes
love, and the word “red” suggests an excitement feeling of strong and passion. Therefore,
Burns was trying to tell the readers that his love to his lady was the kind of romantic
feeling that was strong and full of passion. The word “melodie” means the most
important part in harmonizing music. Burns also compared his lover to melody to show
that his lover was the most important part in his life. In addition, “June” is the month
when summer starts coming. Burns chose “June” instead of other months because “rose”,
which was depicted as his love, began to grow in June. It was new, fresh, fragrant, and
beautiful in the beginning of summer. By emphasizing the absolute redness of the
rose—the “red, red rose”—the poet demonstrates his seeming artlessness as
a sign of sincerity. 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
Furthermore, to help readers visualize how beautiful his lady was, Burns
used the word “bonnie.” In Scottish, the word “bonnie” means pretty and attractive.
Additionally, Bonnie is often used as a nickname or a form of endearment towards a
loved one.
Then, the diction to describe the longevity of his love includes “rocks melt
with the sun” and “the sands o’ life shall run”. Burns noted that his love was a
lifetime being and would last forever.

2.2 Figurative Language

 Simile

The use of simile is spotted in line 1, line 3, and line 5 of the poetry A Red, Red
Rose. The comparisons of two things are made explicit by the employment of such
connectives as: like and as

O, my luve is like a red, red rose (line 1)

O, my luve is like the melodie (line 3)
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass (line 5)

 Hyperbole

Hyperbole is used to exaggerate the poet’s love expression. Based on this poetry,
there are three hyperboles used.
First, hyperboles are contained in ……

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a’ the seas gang dry. (line 7-8)

………………..

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;

According to line …… in stanza …, the Poet expresses that his love is so strong that it
will not be vanishing until the seas gang dry or the rocks melt wi’ the sun. This is an
exaggeration made by the poet, since in the reality none of the phenomena would be
happened until the end of the world.

The last stanza also contains hyperbole in …….

And I will come again, my luve,

Though it were ten thousand mile!

The poet declares his final exaggerated promise that he will return to her even
though the journey takes a thousand miles.

Metaphor
Sands o’ life shall run
e) Meaning and Message 1. The meaning of the poem A Red, Red Rose by
Robert Burns used the connotative meaning theory proposed by Leech. The
word “sands o‟ life shall run in twelve line of the poem show the use of symbol.
The word meaning refers to time. In this case, Burns symbolized his life as time
like sand through an hour glass. And also the word „as fair art thou, my bonnie
lass‟ in the fifth line of the poem used the chosen word to give physical
appearance to the readers about how beautiful and smart his bonnie lass. 2. The
message The message of the poem A Red, Red Rose that Robert Burns conveyed
and expressed his faithful love to Jean Armour. Although in a condition where
he was still close to her he suddenly went to Jamaica. He said farewell goodbye to
her and promised that she would come back again.