Since “To A Mouse” by Robert Burns is written in mouse “speech” it was kind of difficult to understand, but I pretty much got the gist of it. He’s talking to a mouse about how much he wants it dead. He regards it as a little beast. The poem roughly rhymes and its translations aren’t exact. This was a very difficult piece to analyze, but since I like to challenge myself I felt this was the poem to do it. With him using phrases like “Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie; O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!” you have to muster out the translation to understand what he’s saying to the mouse. Although I’m still not exactly sure at what he’s saying, what I get from this is that he’s calling the mouse a beast and thinks it’s panicking because he has found it.
The conflict in the poem is that he’s trying to kill the mouse and is taunting it in its own language so it can understand how much he doesn’t like it. He later on switches over to talk about how its life as a mouse truly isn’t that bad because their problems are only temporary. He goes on to say “But Mousie, thou art no thy lane; In proving foresight may be vain:” meaning that he’s not alone in proving foresight may be vain.
His imagery of how the mouse will suffer on winter days with no home was clear and concise. He says “Now thou's turned out, for a' thy trouble; But house or hald; To thole the winter's sleety dribble; An' cranreuch cauld.” He was very cruel with talking to the mouse, but also comforting at the same time. It was a bittersweet tone he set for this poem which is why he’s constantly back and forth on his feelings for the mouse.
Although this poem was kind of confusing, I’m happy I chose to analyze because it helped me to expand my horizons in regards to writing styles. He chose to take on an entirely new language in which he created himself. I like the fact that even though he knew it would be hard work for others to get, he still did it anyways. His style is very different from mine, but I could learn a lot from him.
Shanel -- You should definitely look into some other Burns' poetry. He actually writes in this way in many of his works -- it's a Scottish/Gaelic dialect. I love Burns, but you're right -- it's definitely challenging. And I think you're exactly right that he is very playful with language, which is certainly something that you can take and try in your own writing! Good post.
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