LINE MEANING

A Red, Red Rose Analysis

First Stanza
O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.

The narrator has to say about his “Luve” is that she is “like a red, red rose.” As a “rose” is the flower
most connected to romance, this is a strong simile. In addition, “red” is seen as a color of passion, so
to attribute that color to the “rose” twice in a row deposit a hefty amount of passion to the romance
—so much that the color must be repeated.
Beyond the concept of the “rose,” the narrator relates his “Luve” to the “new[ness]” of June and a
“melody [t]hat’s sweetly played in tune.” This indicates the relationship is so refreshing that he feels
renewed through it like a summer day, and a song is in his life because of his “Luve” that is “sweet”
and perfect. These ideas are highly relevant to the ballad formation of this poem because they are
obvious connections to things that are linked with romantic love. With every new idea brought to the
stanza, it seems, the narrator is searching for a means to address the fulness of his “Luve.”

Second Stanza
So 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.

The second stanza of ‘A Red, Red Rose’ begins by stepping back from addressing the narrator’s
feelings and actions to compliment his “bonnie lass” for being “[s]o fair.” Once that compliment is set
in stone, the narrator returns to his own feelings by clearly stating that he is “[s]o deep in luve.” It is
noteworthy that “luve” in this scenario is no longer capitalized, potentially because it is used as a
verb rather than a noun to address the woman he cares for. That differentiation could be an
indication that the woman is more significant than the actual action of “luve,” as if the only reason
he is able to experience this grandness of emotions is because of her. For any other person then, the
“luve” would be less significant.
From there, the narrator declares he “will luve [her] still…[t]ill a’ the seas gang dry.” This is a clever
way of saying his affection for her will continue forever, and as strong as that declaration is, the
narrator feels sure of it. This could be because his “luve” itself is as “deep” as “the seas,” and just as
they will not “dry” up, he knows for certain his “luve” will continue as well.

Third Stanza
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.

The narrator begins this third stanza by repeating the idea that he “will luve” her “[t]ill a’ the seas
gang dry” and adds in the repeated endearment of “my dear.” This reveals how strongly the narrator
feels about this concept and how desperate he is to ensure that his beloved understands how long
his affection will endure. In a poem that is only sixteen lines, repeating information severely limits the
ideas the poet can address, so to spend so much time on this one concept highlights how relevant
and important it is to the narrator.
From there, the narrator continues with his declarations of how long his “luve” will survive,
specifically addressing “rocks melt[ing] wi’ the sun” and “the sands o’ life…run[ning].” What this
indicates is that as long as the world continues as it is, and so long as “the sands o’ life” allow him to
exist, he “will love” this woman.

Interestingly, the spelling of the word, “luve,” has changed in this stanza to a more modern, “love.”
This in itself could represent the long reach of his affection, that it is both historic and modern—past,
present, and future. Overall, the narrator wants the vastness of his “love” to be revealed, and the
language does a remarkable job of doing just that.

Fourth Stanza
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.

Though ‘A Red, Red Rose’ does not address why, it is evident in this fourth stanza that the narrator
must leave his “luve.” It is worth noting that the spelling of the word has returned to the more
historic form, but also that he is addressing his “luve” in lowercase letters in this stanza. What this
could indicate is that by leaving, his “luve” must be set aside, and that lower level of priority is
showcased in that lowercase approach.

Whatever reason this narrator must leave, he does not go without reassuring his “luve” that he “will
come again,” even though “ten thousand mile” separate them. The pairing of the plural, “ten
thousand,” with the singular, “mile” can be seen as evidence that the length of the distance
separating them does not matter. Whether it is multiple “mile[s]” or only one, the narrator is certain
he will return to his “luve.” That determination is yet another indication of how deeply his “love”
runs, as is the repeated notion of “fare thee weel.” As was already noted, repeating concepts in such
a brief poem is a serious decision since so much of ‘A Red, Red Rose’ is then represented in a handful
of words. That his parting words include the advice—or the plead—for her to be well highlights how
much he wishes her to “fare…weel” during his absence. This shows a level of caring beyond what he
experiences when she is physically near.
Though the “luve” must be put aside for “awhile,” the narrator’s affections still remain, and the
depth of that affection is the key element of this poem.