FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND DICTION ANALYSIS: SIMILE, HYPERBOLE, AND DICTION IN "A RED, RED ROSE" BY ROBERT BURNS

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND DICTION ANALYSIS: SIMILE, HYPERBOLE, AND DICTION IN "A RED, RED ROSE" BY ROBERT BURNS

1. Figurative Language and Diction Analysis: Simile, Hyperbole, and Diction in “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns Anju Prasasti Ramadani

2. ABSTRACT In this writing, the writer aims to analyze the instrinsic elements of "A Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns. The purpose of this writing is to understand the using of figurative language and diction in the poem. The writer uses the theories of figurative language and diction with close reading method. The writer finds that the poem is dominated by simile, hyperbole, and diction. In conclusion, the figurative language and diction enrich the meaning of the poem itself. keywords: figurative language , diction , simile ,  hyperbole

3. I. INTRODUCTION I.1 Background of The Study  There are some definitions from the theorists which will help us to understand what poetry is. Laurence Perrine in “Sounds and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry” (1969:3) defines poetry as a kind of language that says more and says it more intensely than does ordinary language. With the definition above, the author attempts to discuss the poem “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns in order to fully understand what the message that Burns try to convey through figurative language and diction. I.2 Purpose of The Study The purpose on this study are: 1.       To understand the using of simile in the poetry. 2.       To understand the using of hyperbole in the poetry. 3.       To understand the using of diction in the poetry. I.3 Scope of The Study The scope of this study is the analysis of figurative language which are simile and hyperbole, and imagery which is diction, in the poem by Robert Burns entitled “A Red, Red Rose”.

4. II. THE POET, THE POEM, AND THE TRANSLATION II.1 The biography of Robert Burns Born on January 25, 1759, in Alloway , Scotland, Robert Burns was the eldest son of tenant farmers William Burnes and Agnes Broun. After some rudimentary education, Robert’s parents encouraged him to read books by important contemporary writers as well as Shakespeare and Milton. Burns began life as a poor tenant farmer but was able to channel his intellectual energy into poetry and song to become one of the most famous characters of Scotland's cultural history. Burns had his first child, Elizabeth Paton Burns with his mother’s servant Elizabeth Paton, while he was in relationship with Jean Armour , who became pregnant with his twins in March 1786. Burns was ready to marry Jean but her father was against the marriage. They, eventually, got married in 1788. The couple had nine children, out of which only three survived infancy. Burns is best known as a pioneer of the Romantic movement for his lyrical poetry and his rewriting of Scottish folk songs, many of which are still well known across the world today. Since his death on July 21, 1796, his work has inspired many Western thinkers. Considered the national poet of Scotland, he is celebrated there and around the world every year on "Burns Night,” January 25.

5. II.2 The poem “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns “A Red, Red Rose” (1794) O my Luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O my Luve's like the melodie , That's sweetly play'd in tune. As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry. Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi ' the sun; And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run. And fare-thee- weel , my only Luve ! And fare-thee- weel , a while! And I will come again, my Luve , Tho ' ' twere ten thousand mile!

6. II.3 The translation of the poem “A Red, Red Rose” Mawar Merah Yang Merekah Oh cintaku bagaikan mawar merah yang merekah , Yang bersemi saat bulan Juni ; Oh cintaku bagaikan melodi , Yang mengalun indah dalam laras nada. Seindah dirimu , gadisku yang cantik , Begitu dalamnya cintaku ; Dan aku akan selalu mencintaimu , kasihku , Hingga seluruh samudera mengering . Hingga seluruh samudera mengering , kasihku , Dan bebatuan leleh oleh sinar mentari ; Dan aku akan selalu mencintaimu , kasihku , Walau pasir kehidupan harus terus berlari . Dan terus seperti itu , cinta sejatiku ! Dan akan terus seperti itu sepanjang hidupku ! Dan aku akan kembali lagi , kasihku , Walau sepuluh ribu mil harus kutempuh !

7. III. LITERARY REVIEW III.1 Figurative language   III.1.1 Simile In a simile, a comparison between two distinctly different things is explicitly indicated by the word “like” or “as” (M.H. Abrams, 1999:97). “It looks as if some magic of the sun” In that line, Robert frost compares the object with “some magic of the sun” by using “looks as if”.  III.2.1 Hyperbole (Overstatement) Richard E. Mezo in his book “Fire I’ The Blood”: A Handbook of Figurative Language (1999:2) states that Hyperbole is an overstatement of the literal-an exaggeration. III.2 Diction Diction is the choice of words. Michael Meyer in his book “The Bedford Introduction Literature (Second Edition)” states that diction is the use of elevated language over ordinary language. What matters in a poem is not only which words are used but how they are used.

8. IV. DISCUSSION Simile O my Luve's like a red , red rose, That's newly sprung in June: In the first stanza, Robert Burns using simile to compare his love with a “red rose” that “newly sprung in June”. It gives the readers a sense that his love is beautiful, strong, full of passion just like a red rose. It is even stronger because he use the repeat of “red”. Then he says “that newly sprung in June” which means his love is like a flower that has just grew from the ground, new, young, fragrant and fresh. O my Luve's like the melodie , That's sweetly play'd in tune. This time, Burns chooses to compare his love like a beautiful melody from a song that is “sweetly play’d ” in a tune. However, how sweet the melody is, this beauty is just temporary. When the song has ended, the melody of the song is just gone. Yet, in this point that is not what Burns try to say. He perhaps states that his love is like a melody which sound lovely when the tone is harmonic. As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I; Burns says he is as “deep in love” as the “bonnie lass”. Bonnie is a word that means beautiful or pretty just like “fair”. While “lass” is refers to a girl that sometimes means something like a sweetheart. Burns is trying to tell the readers that his love as beautiful as how his lady appearance.

9. Diction 1.       Red rose : “Rose” is usually a symbol of love, and Burns add “red” to suggest an excitement of strong and passion. So, he is trying to tell the readers that his love to his lady is the kind of strong feeling and full of passion. 2.       June : The reason why Burns choose to use June instead of other months is quite interesting. When June comes, spring is going to end but summer starts to come. Floral growth is the best in summer season. So does rose, the flower is blooming the best in summer. It is new, fresh, fragrant, and beautiful. 3.       Bonie : Bonie is a given name commonly used for female which comes from the Scottish word “bonnie”. This word not just means pretty but also attractive, which is why Burns use “ Bonie ” instead of beautiful or else. Bonnie is often used as a nickname or a form of endearment towards a loved one. This word has much more meaning. 4.       Melodie : Melody is the main theme of musical pieces, the part you sing along with, the succession of tones that are most salient in your mind. Burns compares his love with melody to show that his love is the most important in his life.

10. Hyperbole Till a' the seas gang dry, In the last line of the second stanza, Burns claims that he will love his lady until all the seas dries up. It is literally impossible to says that the seas will dries up, but that is why he use the phrase that he is so deep in love that his love will last forever. And the rocks melt wi ' the sun; Like the sea going dry, it is also impossible that rocks are going to “melt”. Burns is again emphasizing the fact that he will love her forever or at least until long after their lives are over. And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run. The lines are trying to show the readers that Burns will love his lady until “the sands o’ life shall run”. The phrase “the sands o’ life shall run” means like “while I’m still life”. The word “sands” here just like the sands of Burns life. So once again, he is emphasizing that he will love his bonie lass for a really long time or as long as he lives. And I will come again, my Luve , Tho ' ' twere ten thousand mile! In this last two lines, Burns is saying that he will do whatever to meet again with his love eventhough he has to walk ten thousand miles. That is how much he loves his lady that he will do whatever to make the love work.

11. V. CONCLUSION The poem “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns is a beautiful poem. It shows the readers about how much he loves his young lady. A man who once fell in love deeply will always loves his lady no matter what happens. Once he fell in love, he will give the whole world for his lady. Just like in his poem, Burns is using simile to compare how much his love for her by compares her with beautiful things in the world. Then he use hyperbole to emphasizing how much the love he has. As we know, if Burns did not use those figurative language, we will not know how much his love and how beautiful his love. It will just makes the readers know that he loves a lady but we do not know how his love to the lady. The point is he is trying to shows the readers how strong his love through his poem which as beautiful as his lady.

12. BIBLIOGRAPHY Abrams, M. H. 1999. 7 th ed. A Glossary of Literary Terms . United States of America :  Earl McPeek Connell, F.M. 1913. A Textbook For The Study of Poetry . Boston : Allyn and Bacon. Meyer, Michael. 1990. 2 nd ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature . Boston : Bedford- St.Martin’s . Mezo , Richard E. 1999. “Fire i ’ the blood” : A Handbook of Figurative Language. USA : Universal Publisher. Perrine, Laurence. 1969. 3 th ed. Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry. United States of America : Harcourt College Pub.