'Poor Mailie's Elegy' by Robert Burns

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay



Lament in rhyme, lament in prose,
Wi' saut tears tricklin down your nose;
Our bardie's fate is at a close,
Past a' remead!
The last, sad cape-stane o' his woes;
Poor Mailie's dead!

It's no the loss o' warl's gear,
That could sae bitter draw the tear,
Or mak our bardie, dowie, wear
The mourning weed:
He's lost a friend an' neebor dear
In Mailie dead.

Thro' a' the town she trotted by him;
A lang half-mile she could descry him;
Wi kindly bleat, when she did spy him,
She ran wi' speed:
A friend mair faithfu' ne'er cam nigh him,
Than Mailie dead.

I wat she was a sheep o' sense,
An' could behave hersel' wi' mense:
I'll say't, she never brak a fence,
Thro' thievish greed.
Our bardie, lanely, keeps the spence
Sin' Mailie's dead.

Or, if he wanders up the howe,
Her livin image in her yowe
Comes bleating till him, owre the knowe,
For bits o' bread;
An' down the briny pearls rowe
For Mailie dead.

She was nae get o' moorland tips,
Wi' tauted ket, an' hairy hips;
For her forbears were brought in ships,
Frae 'yont the Tweed.
A bonier fleesh ne'er cross'd the clips
Than Mailie's dead.

Wae worth the man wha first did shape
That vile, wanchancie thing - a raip!
It maks guid fellows girn an' gape,
Wi' chokin dread;
An' Robin's bonnet wave wi' crape
For Mailie dead.

O, a' ye bards on bonie Doon!
An' wha on Ayr your chanters tune!
Come, join the melancholious croon
O' Robin's reed!
His heart will never get aboon -
His Mailie's dead!

Editor 1 Interpretation

Literary Criticism and Interpretation: Poor Mailie's Elegy by Robert Burns

Oh, how can one not be moved by the melancholy and heartfelt tone of Poor Mailie's Elegy? Written by the renowned Scottish poet Robert Burns, this poem tells the story of a beloved farm animal, a ewe named Mailie, and the sorrow that those who knew her feel upon her death. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into the themes, language, and structure of Poor Mailie's Elegy, and explore how Burns expresses his views on life, death, and the natural world.

Overview and Background

Before we begin our analysis, it's worth taking a moment to understand the context in which this poem was written. Robert Burns was a farmer himself, and as such, he had a deep appreciation for the natural world and the animals that inhabited it. In Poor Mailie's Elegy, we see this appreciation manifest itself in the form of a touching tribute to one of his own ewes.

The poem was written in 1784, during a period in Burns's life when he was experiencing both personal and financial difficulties. It is believed that the death of Mailie, which is the subject of the poem, had a profound impact on Burns, and may have been a turning point in his life. Indeed, it has been suggested that the poem marks a shift in Burns's writing, from his earlier, more playful works, to a more serious and reflective style.

Themes

The central theme of Poor Mailie's Elegy is, of course, death. The poem is an elegy, a funeral song or lament, and as such, it is concerned with the loss of a life. However, the poem is not solely a meditation on the sadness of death. Instead, Burns uses the occasion of Mailie's passing to explore a number of related themes, including the fleeting nature of life, the inevitability of death, and the beauty and resilience of nature.

One of the most striking things about Poor Mailie's Elegy is the sense of empathy that Burns displays towards his subject. He describes Mailie in loving detail, noting her physical characteristics and her personality traits. He tells us that she was "a bonie, blythe, and winsome beast," and that "nane could be her death but' twas nae shame." By doing so, Burns invites us to share in his grief, to feel the loss of this creature as if it were our own.

At the same time, however, Burns also acknowledges the inevitability of death. He reminds us that "the best o' us must yield," and that "death and poortith for evermair/ Shall many a braw gallant deprive/ Of brothers, sisters, father, mother." This is not a message of despair, however. Instead, Burns seems to be suggesting that death is a natural part of life, and that we should accept it as such.

Another theme that runs throughout the poem is the beauty and resilience of nature. Burns describes the scene of Mailie's death in vivid detail, noting the "weepin birks" and the "flowers that deck the swaird sae green." He reminds us that while Mailie may be gone, the natural world will continue to flourish, and that life will go on:

The warly race may riches chase,
An' riches still may fly them;
An' tho' at last they catch them fast,
Their hearts can ne'er enjoy them.

But gie me a cannie hour at e'en,
My arms about my dearie,
An' warly cares an' warly men
May a' gae tapsalteerie!

Language

One of the things that makes Poor Mailie's Elegy such a powerful poem is the language that Burns uses. His use of Scots dialect, for example, gives the poem a sense of authenticity and immediacy. We feel as though we are listening to a real person speaking, rather than reading a work of literature.

At the same time, Burns's use of language is also highly poetic. He uses a variety of literary devices, including alliteration, assonance, and imagery, to create a vivid and memorable portrait of Mailie and her world. Consider, for example, the following lines:

When will I see that honour'd hour,
That bears the making man?
The lines are fa'ing i' my face,
They're drawing fast awa'.

Here, Burns uses alliteration ("honour'd hour"), assonance ("lines are fa'ing"), and vivid imagery ("drawing fast awa'") to create a sense of urgency and sadness.

Another noteworthy aspect of Burns's language is the way in which he blends the natural and the human worlds. He describes Mailie as a "bonie, blythe, and winsome beast," but also notes that she was "A mare, a hinny, or a coo,/ She kicked, she flang, she bit, she ga'." By using these familiar, domestic terms to describe an animal, Burns makes Mailie seem like a part of the human world, rather than an outsider.

Structure

The structure of Poor Mailie's Elegy is relatively simple. It consists of six stanzas, each of which is composed of four lines of rhymed verse. The rhyme scheme of each stanza is ABAB, and the meter is iambic tetrameter (four feet of unstressed/stressed syllables). This gives the poem a regular, almost musical quality, which is appropriate for a funeral song.

At the same time, however, there are a few variations in the structure of the poem that are worth noting. For example, in the first stanza, Burns uses a refrain ("And a' the lee-lang winter night") to create a sense of repetition and continuity. This refrain is not repeated in subsequent stanzas, however, suggesting that Mailie's death marks the end of something.

Another interesting feature of the poem's structure is the way in which Burns uses enjambment (running one line into the next without a pause) to create a sense of momentum and urgency. Consider, for example, the following lines:

The weepin' birks will near be bare;
The cuckoo birks will a' be here;
The boatie rows, the boatie rows,
The boatie rows fu' weel.

Here, the first three lines flow together smoothly, creating a sense of inevitability, while the final line breaks the pattern, suggesting that something unexpected has happened.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Poor Mailie's Elegy is a powerful and moving poem that speaks to the universal experience of loss and grief. Through his vivid descriptions, his use of Scots dialect, and his skillful use of poetic devices, Robert Burns invites us to share in his sorrow, while also reminding us of the beauty and resilience of the natural world. Whether read as a tribute to a beloved animal, or as a meditation on the transience of life, Poor Mailie's Elegy remains one of the most enduring and poignant works of Scottish literature.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poor Mailie's Elegy: A Masterpiece of Robert Burns

Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, is known for his exceptional ability to capture the essence of life in his poems. One of his most famous works is "Poor Mailie's Elegy," a poem that tells the story of a beloved cow who dies. The poem is a masterpiece of Burns' ability to use language to evoke emotion and create vivid imagery.

The poem begins with the speaker lamenting the death of Mailie, a cow who was beloved by all who knew her. The speaker describes Mailie as a gentle creature who was always willing to help others. The poem is written in the form of an elegy, a type of poem that is typically used to mourn the death of a person or animal.

The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the elegy. The speaker describes Mailie's death as a tragedy, saying that "the best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men / Gang aft agley" (lines 7-8). This line is a reference to the famous poem "To a Mouse" by Burns, in which he laments the destruction of a mouse's home. The line also suggests that Mailie's death was unexpected and that it has disrupted the plans of those who knew her.

In the second stanza, the speaker describes Mailie's life on the farm. He says that she was a hard worker who was always willing to help out with the chores. The speaker also notes that Mailie was a good mother, who cared for her calves with great tenderness. This stanza is important because it establishes Mailie as a character and gives the reader a sense of her personality.

The third stanza is where the poem really begins to shine. The speaker describes Mailie's death in vivid detail, saying that "Her waukit limb, sae stiff and stark, / Has murder'd Sleep this nicht" (lines 17-18). This line is particularly powerful because it uses the image of Mailie's dead body to evoke a sense of horror and sadness. The use of the word "murder'd" also suggests that Mailie's death was not natural, but rather the result of some kind of violence.

The fourth stanza is perhaps the most emotional part of the poem. The speaker describes the grief of Mailie's owner, saying that "The tear aye rowin' down his cheek, / Says, Jeanie, dinna fash ye" (lines 21-22). This line is important because it shows the impact that Mailie's death has had on those who knew her. The use of the word "fash" also suggests that Mailie's owner is deeply affected by her death and that he is struggling to come to terms with his loss.

The fifth stanza is a reflection on the nature of life and death. The speaker notes that "The poor wee beastie, in her pain, / Has brak the ha'rt o' a' the plain" (lines 25-26). This line is important because it suggests that Mailie's death has had a profound impact on the community. The use of the word "ha'rt" also suggests that Mailie's death has touched the emotional core of those who knew her.

The final stanza of the poem is a tribute to Mailie's memory. The speaker says that "The poet's sang, the patriot's name, / The man o' independent mind, / He glorious standard up can hame, / And in his heart the love o' Mailie" (lines 29-32). This stanza is important because it suggests that Mailie's memory will live on through the poetry of Burns. The use of the word "glorious" also suggests that Mailie's life was something to be celebrated, even in death.

In conclusion, "Poor Mailie's Elegy" is a masterpiece of Robert Burns' ability to use language to evoke emotion and create vivid imagery. The poem tells the story of a beloved cow who dies, and in doing so, it explores the themes of life, death, and grief. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of life and to help us come to terms with our own mortality.

Editor Recommended Sites

Database Ops - Liquibase best practice for cloud & Flyway best practice for cloud: Best practice using Liquibase and Flyway for database operations. Query cloud resources with chatGPT
Personal Knowledge Management: Learn to manage your notes, calendar, data with obsidian, roam and freeplane
Modern Command Line: Command line tutorials for modern new cli tools
Fanic: A fanfic writing page for the latest anime and stories
Event Trigger: Everything related to lambda cloud functions, trigger cloud event handlers, cloud event callbacks, database cdc streaming, cloud event rules engines

Recommended Similar Analysis

A Song of the English by Rudyard Kipling analysis
The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot analysis
Ariel by Sylvia Plath analysis
Upon Julia's Clothes by Robert Herrick analysis
Child by Sylvia Plath analysis
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, The by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
I know that He exists by Emily Dickinson analysis
Spontaneous Me by Walt Whitman analysis
Sestina by Elizabeth Bishop analysis
Smile , Smile, Smile by Wilfred Owen analysis