The Idealized Love in "A Red, Red Rose"

Love carries many different meanings. Some define love as selfish, or as security, or as respect. Love can hold many meanings, but if one thing is certain is that love lasts forever. People carry that love with them, whether it be for an object or for a person, because love leaves an impression on them. It’s an emotion that cannot be easily forgotten. Even if that love fades, the memories associated with the love allow it to live within us for our entire lives. Robert Burns explores this idea of love in his poem, “A Red Red Rose.” In his poem he defines love as the fairytale version we all find comfort in, as everlasting no matter what battle is faced. Any common person can find comfort in Burns’ writing and relate to him because Burns wrote poems for that reason. The clever use of metaphor and rhyme plays in the childlike fantasy of love people tend to have growing up. A rose is the universal symbol of beauty. However, Burns takes a different approach in his use of symbolism.

 

A rose, in a more literal sense, is vibrant, delicate, and holds many layers to it, much like someone’s love. Burns sees the comparison between love and roses and uses it to begin his poem. Burns’ love comes off as young love, when calling it a rose he defines his love as “newly sprung in June.” His love is fresh, it's exciting, it’s a state of new scenery. It’s the type of young love most people feel at one point. The love that is cherished in our souls because it’s too precious to ever let go of. Burns begins the poem with a rose because it’s the most defining metaphor for the love he is trying to describe. Burns continues to find many of his metaphors from the nature around him to define love.

 

After the rose, he goes on to define his love as everlasting. For example, Burns states “Till all the seas go dry, my Dear, And the rocks melt with the sun”. No matter how long it takes, His love will persist. The irony with his metaphors is that, while he may not realize the love, by how he defines it, can run out at some point. The seas will eventually dry, the melody in a song will hit its final note. , and beautiful roses die eventually. With metaphors like these, commoners can truly see the naivety that Burns is projecting from this idea of love. Someone so young isn’t able to realize that the nature around us, the love they hold, can very possibly come to a sudden end.

 

While any common reader can pick up on the lie Burns is trying to sell to his audience, they are able to forgive him anyway. Burns appeals to the audience with the use of simple rhyme. Yet again bringing them back to a mindset of innocence, someone who hasn’t seen the pain that comes with love. The rhymes reflect what Burns believes love to be, simple. The lines “And fare you well a while! And I will come again, my Love, Although it were ten thousand mile!” lift the weight off of how heavy the journey of love truly is. It makes it appear as though love is able to survive no matter how distant or how long the journey will be. However, anyone with experience knows the burden love puts upon them, and while it’s easy to make pretty rhymes and say these words, it’s sadly just another delusion from the reality people live in.

 

Love is a complicated topic. Anyone would be naive to believe that someone can never waiver from that feeling. Throughout history, writers have made careers from the tragedies that stem from this one feeling. From Romeo and Juliet to Wuthering Heights, love can bring on much pain and suffering to those around it. Yet humans crave that feeling more than anything else. That’s why they may turn to Burns’ poem. To provide them with hope that something good comes out of such a heavy emotion.