Robert Burns (1759–1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. The theme of He can be credited with 716 pieces of work that have been recorded here...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/robertburns/
On this website, the reader cannot listen to the audio which has been produced for these poems but one can certainly take the time to read the information given to them on this site. If BBC took the time to complete all of those tasks, then why wouldn't they make the audio available to all countries instead of just their own? To spread the works and to be able to truly appreciate the poems written by Burns, audio would most definitely help.
The poem I have chosen to discuss is "The Fornicator", written in 1785. The impression I first got after reading the poem was an importance of sexuality and a sense of immaturity. It is noted that Robert Burns had an affair with a servant girl named Elizabeth Paton and from this came a daughter and this poem.
Right off the bat with the title we can see that it is sex that both parties agree to. Fornicating is mutual understanding of sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. Back in this time it was looked down upon from the church of Scotland, or Kirk*. They would often times make the offenders sit on a stool and let the congregation stare at them to make them feel ashamed.
Ye jovial boys who love the joys. (Line 1)
The blissful joys of Lovers; (Line 2)
Burn's speaks about the joys of lovers as an everyday thing and categorizes all boys as wanting the same thing. The blissfull joy of lovers is his way of saying what he is doing is okay and actually entertaining.Throughout the whole poem it is easy to see that he either cannot see the significance of what he is doing or he just doesn't care, which brings along the idea of immaturity. Instead of repenting for his actions, he flirts. Burns does not appear to be concerned with the punishment that the church would bring upon him for his sins. The idea that he chooses sexuality over religion is evident throughout the whole poem. The sole reason they were going to church was because they made a mistake in the first place. We can detect flirting going on during the congregation itself...
Before the Congregation wide (Line 9)
I pass'd the muster fairly,
My handsome Betsey by my side,
We gat our ditty rarely;
But my downcast eye by chance did spy
What made my lips to water,
Those limbs so clean where I, between,
Commenc'd a Fornicator. (Line 16)
I pass'd the muster fairly,
My handsome Betsey by my side,
We gat our ditty rarely;
But my downcast eye by chance did spy
What made my lips to water,
Those limbs so clean where I, between,
Commenc'd a Fornicator. (Line 16)
Afterwards, they departed and committed the same offence, which leads them right back to the start.
With rueful face and signs of grace (Line 17)
I pay’d the buttock-hire,
The night was dark and thro’ the park
I could not but convoy her;
A parting kiss, what could I less,
My vows began to scatter,
My Betsey fell-lal de dal lal lal,
I am a Fornicator (Line 32)
I pay’d the buttock-hire,
The night was dark and thro’ the park
I could not but convoy her;
A parting kiss, what could I less,
My vows began to scatter,
My Betsey fell-lal de dal lal lal,
I am a Fornicator (Line 32)
He writes about how his vows began to scatter as a parting kiss takes place, making him a weak and easily persuaded individual. It is noted that this was after a church congregation and instead of focusing on that he was more worried about his lover named Betsey and bad thoughts which rushed through his mind during mass.
Robert Burns is seen as a dark person with no regard for the church. He repeats being a fornicator six times in the poem, giving it much importance. It seems to the reader that the same process will continue to go on and on as he and Elizabeth continue to make each other happy, not worrying about the church.
Of course, there are two sides to every story. Burns also references the joyfulness in fornicating with this woman. It can be seen as a critique of the church and it's ways. Yes, Burns and his lover may not be married as they do these acts, but he speaks about how much they like each other. He states how he is willing to share everything with her and take care of his son, no matter what. He also states how she has 'clean' limbs and doesn't view her as a dirty woman because of what they are doing. He just wants her because she is beautiful, not because she has sex with him.
In the last stanza, Burns goes on to speak about the kings, heroes, captains, commanders, etc. If all these men are looked up to and commence in fornicating, why can't Burns? He is as much a man as they are and it isn't right to say who can and who can't. This stanza could be seen as him telling the people in the church that they could have done it too and not to point fingers.
For more information and background on this poem, visit:
Of course, there are two sides to every story. Burns also references the joyfulness in fornicating with this woman. It can be seen as a critique of the church and it's ways. Yes, Burns and his lover may not be married as they do these acts, but he speaks about how much they like each other. He states how he is willing to share everything with her and take care of his son, no matter what. He also states how she has 'clean' limbs and doesn't view her as a dirty woman because of what they are doing. He just wants her because she is beautiful, not because she has sex with him.
In the last stanza, Burns goes on to speak about the kings, heroes, captains, commanders, etc. If all these men are looked up to and commence in fornicating, why can't Burns? He is as much a man as they are and it isn't right to say who can and who can't. This stanza could be seen as him telling the people in the church that they could have done it too and not to point fingers.
For more information and background on this poem, visit:
Also, for more background on Robert Burns himself, visit:
I think Burns subconsciously knew his actions were wrong, but he also knew that each person has desires– which was perfectly healthy in his opinion. I'm not sure if I would go far as saying he doesn't care about the responsibility of what he does but maybe not seeing eye-to-eye with the idea that he should be publicly scolded for it natural for human's to partake in. He does compare himself to those of a higher stature, not necessarily saying he regards himself as a noble as they are seen to others, but explaining that they fornicate, just as he does.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, I found what he said to be a sort of "stick it to the man" declaration. He's teasing those who judge him because he knows deep down they have no right to say what they say about him since they probably fornicate also.
Robert Burns didn’t care two hoots for the Kirk. His ‘Hoy Willie’s Prayer’ is a most biting satire of ‘holy’ but hypocritical & duplicitous parishioners.
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