illustrated profiles of a man and a woman set against the backdrop of a red rose

A Red, Red Rose

by Robert Burns

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Student Question

What is the tone of "A Red, Red Rose"?

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The tone of "A Red, Red Rose" is affectionate and celebratory. In the final stanza, the tone shifts slightly to reflect a bittersweet parting between the speaker and his beloved.

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"A Red, Red Rose" is written to proclaim how "deep in luve" the speaker is with his beloved. The tone is affectionate and celebratory as the speaker proclaims the depths of his feelings.

As the poem opens, the speaker uses a simile that conveys positive connotations of love. He compares his beloved to a "red rose," which is often symbolic of romantic love. Furthermore, he clarifies that this is a rose which has "newly sprung in June," which conveys a sense of natural beauty and vitality.

In the second stanza, the speaker calls his love "bonnie," which is a Scottish term meaning "beautiful." He swears that he will love her until the seas dry up; in the third stanza, he predicts that his love will last even longer—until the sun melts the rocks of the earth.

The diction is warm and tender throughout the poem, which conveys a...

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sweetly affectionate tone as the speaker swears his love and loyalty to his beloved. The tone shifts slightly in the final stanza as it becomes clear that the speaker is actually preparing to leave his "bonnie" for a while. In this final stanza, the tone is bittersweet as he encourages her to recognize that his absence is only temporary and that he will "come again" because she is his "only luve."

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What is the tone of the poem "A Red, Red Rose"?

The poem is the speaker's ode to his beloved. In the first stanza, the tone is celebratory. The speaker compares his love to a rose at the height of its vibrancy and color; this is why "red" is repeated. In the second stanza, the speaker praises his beautiful "lass" saying that he will love her until the seas go dry. The tone is still celebratory. But there is just a subtle hint that his love is not absolutely eternal. Again in the third stanza, the speaker says that he will love her "While the sands o' life shall run." This could mean for the rest of their lives or until the end of time. Critics suggest that this means he will love her for a long time but not truly forever. This seems like a unfair criticism until we consider the final stanza where the speaker is leaving her. In this case, he is expressing his love prior to leaving. Therefore, there are many different interpretations of just how long his love will last. 

And fare thee weel, my only Luve!
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile! 

The poem is a celebration/declaration of love, so the tone is positive. But as the poem concludes, a tone of melancholy sets in because the speaker is leaving his beloved. He is celebrating and/or justifying his love before he leaves because he wants to communicate that is love for her can not be diminished by a separation of space or a duration of time. 

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What is the mood of "A Red, Red Rose"?

Mood in a poem is the emotion or feeling it communicates to the reader. Mood is conveyed through a poem's words and situation. "A Red, Red Rose's" mood is one of intense love and longing.

The poem starts out with two simple images—one visual, the other auditory—that express the speaker's love. Using a simile, a comparison with the words like or as, the speaker compares his beloved visually to a beautiful, intensely red rose in June. He also likens her to a pleasing melody "played in tune." This sound image suggests that the relationship is harmonious.

But the speaker soon turns to hyperbole as the only way to fully express the depth of his love and commitment. In stanza 2, he states he will love his beloved until the seas run dry, and in stanza 3, he says he will love her until the earth's rocks melt in the sun. In other words, he will love her until the end of time.

Not until the fourth and final stanza does the speaker's situation become clear: he has to leave the beloved for a journey, and this fills him with longing. This longing is expressed through repetition and the emotional intensity conveyed through exclamation points, which amplify feeling. The speaker expresses his longing that his beloved be well in heartfelt terms as he says goodbye:

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel awhile!

He wants what is best for her while he is gone. He then ends on a note of hyperbole, assuring her he will be back, even if he were to have to travel ten thousand miles to do so.

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