Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Rowan Tree" is a traditional Scottish ballad that was popularized by Carolina Oliphant Nairne in the 19th century. The ballad tells the story of a young man who is in love with a woman, but is prevented from marrying her by his father, who disapproves of the match.

Context:

Carolina Oliphant Nairne was a Scottish poet who lived from 1766-1845. She is best known for her collection of Jacobite songs and poems, which express sympathy for the exiled Stuarts and the cause of Scottish independence. "The Rowan Tree" is a traditional Scottish ballad that dates back to the 18th century, and was popularized by Nairne in the 19th century.

Content:

The ballad tells the story of a young man who is in love with a woman, but is prevented from marrying her by his father. The young man laments his fate, and compares his love for the woman to the rowan tree, which is "the fairest bough among them a'." He longs for the woman, and declares that he would rather die than live without her. In the end, the young man dies of a broken heart, and the rowan tree withers and dies as well.

Form:

"The Rowan Tree" is written in ballad form, with four-line stanzas and a simple rhyme scheme (ABCB). The poem is structured around the repeated refrain "O rowan tree!"

Poetic Elements:

The use of natural imagery, such as the rowan tree and the "bonnie bird," creates a sense of the beauty of Scotland and the narrator's deep attachment to it. The repetition of the refrain "O rowan tree!" helps to unify the poem and emphasize the importance of the rowan tree as a symbol of the young man's love.

Summary:

"The Rowan Tree" is a poignant and emotional ballad that expresses the pain of thwarted love and the power of natural imagery. Nairne's use of the rowan tree as a symbol of the young man's love creates a powerful metaphor for the strength and beauty of true love. Overall, the poem is a beautiful expression of the enduring power of love and the natural world in Scottish culture.

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