Red, Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns: A Man's Rending of Lyrical Poetic Images and Metaphors About Love

It's February and a few weeks to Valentines Day! Everyone recognizes this much-quoted poem by Robert Burns and realize its romantic impact. However, what you may not realize is the appeal this poem has and the authors true meaning. Its appeal stems from the boldness of the Robert Burn's assertion and declaration.

His love is conveyed through conventional image of the rose and through four strong beats. Robert Burn's choice of a rose to convey his feelings may seem trite and overused.

The color red is an unoriginal portrait of love and passion, however you will find the author expressing his love with great conviction. The repetition of the color "Red" represents the fullest and most lovely image of the rose in its ideal state. The poet speaks of love as "Newly Sprung," which also exists in its most purest and perfect form.

The poet compares his love to a rose in bloom and as sweet as a melody. He declares he will be in love with this person till the end of time, till the seas run dry and melt with the sun. He wishes his love well when he is thousands miles away.

The poem is a song in its rhythm and repetition portraying the author's ideas and feelings in overwhelming and simple terms. Its use of animistic simile and the limited form of apostrophe, gives the personification to compare the high spirits of his feelings with the appearance of a newly bloomed rose.

It is undetermined whether the author speaks of when he is in love or a loved one. In the former a feeling or idea is animated by comparison with a rose. In the latter, the appearance and personality, of the loved one describes in both versions and is compatible. The pleasant ambiguity is left unresolved. This style of speaking about a person would apply more to a plant, animal, or machine.

It is the opposite of personification and has no common accepted name other than simile or metaphor. Robert Burn's beautiful poem is contrary. Its expression of love, however does not try to stir up deep feelings of passion. It instead reminds us of the author's feelings which sound more theoretical than real. i.e.: the first Stanza "Luve" is said twice as a pronoun as it describes the person, which the author has in mind.

The poet brings the attention to the readers and how other people will relate to that person, instead of examining how the poet, feels about the person. The author is only declaring his love for show and for the approval of other people rather than having experienced it.

Robert Burns achieves a total integration of the animistic simile very well to convey his deep emotions for his love. The poem is very sweet and romantic in describing how deep the author's love goes. It is a poem to be studied and not read through quickly. It should be read again and again so that the reader can understand the meaning of what the poet is telling them.