can anyone tell me what the poem "to a louse" by robert burns means?

Answer 1

Analysis of Robert Burns
In Robert Burns’ poem “To A Louse”, he describes how he was sitting in church behind a woman that had a bug crawling around in her hair and around the ribbons in her hat. This entire poem entails how he feels about the bug crawling on this woman that he’s been watching and he also jokes about the whole situation about how the bug should be on someone dirty rather that on the apparently unsuspecting woman.
In the first stanza, Burns first notices the bug crawling on the woman. He asks himself (and the bug) where it’s going. He also says that the bug has probably been in the woman’s hat or hair for quite some time because his reaction is the same as seeing the bug for the first time on her. He also says that the bug has probably been well taken care with this woman, but I now in sear

. . .
The downside about the bug being present on the woman is because in that day in age, personal hygiene wasn’t as big of a deal as it is in present times; only for those of the higher class.

In the second stanza, Burns is upset that this bug has decided to dwell with this woman that he has described as “such a fine lady.

In the last stanza, Burns thinks that the woman should be given the gift of seeing herself as people see her and it would save her from embarrassment and give her some kind of insight. She could be the old woman that he was describing, or the mother of the poor boy.

However in the seventh stanza, Burns takes it upon himself to tell the woman sitting in front of him about the bug. He says that he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had spotted the bug on some old woman’s flannel hat or underneath the clothes of a poor boy. This could be why the bug is roaming around. Burns probably felt that a woman, such as the one being the part of the object of this poem, looked too pleasant to have this invader travel all over her and feed off of her. Or that God should allow us to see ourselves as others see us. He tells her not to make too much movement to draw attention to herself. ” In the conversation with himself, he tells the bug to find someplace else to roam such as on someone that is poor.

In conclusion, Robert Burns’ poem “To A Louse” is a humorous poem that has some satire in it. This could be why Burns is questioning the bug’s reason for being around the woman.

Answer 2

Robert Burns To A Louse

Answer 3

When you get right down to it, the main point that Burns wanted to make is 'to see ourselves as others see us'.
I am sure if you enter "Poem to a Louse analysis" into your browser you will find some hits that will pick apart the poem by verse and help you out if you need specifics.
Take care! :)

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
can anyone tell me what the poem "to a louse" by robert burns means?

Answer 5

To A Louse

Answer 6

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Aye, but did you know he pinched the tune aff a Geordie? Fact or Fiction? Relevant for today and lifted from elsewhere on the web. Sometime in 1788, according to his own account, Robbie Burns is in the pub, writing some words for his next hit single, to be called 'Auld Lang Syne'. The lyrics are coming along nicely, but what about the melody? Needs something really catchy. Burns hears a man singing in the bar, an obscure song he has never heard before. 'That's the very tune for me! ' thinks Robbie, and, being in the days when there was no such thing as musical copyright, thinks nothing of stealing the music for his own new words, lock, stock and semi-quaver. When the song rocketed to the top of the hit parade, Burns of course took all the credit, and nobody questioned it for a minute. Destined to be No 1 in the New Year worldwide charts for centuries to come, it's now as much a part of Scotland's image abroad as shortbread and kilts. How ironic then to find that one of Scotland's greatest and best-loved musical icons was in fact written by an Englishman, Mr William Shield, former trainee boatman of Shalwell, Gateshead. The recent discovery in Gateshead public library, by John Traherne, Gateshead's Director of School Music, of an original manuscript by Shield, has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the song heard by Burns that night in the pub was actually part of an overture for 'Rosina', an obscure operetta written by the Northumbrian 5 years earlier, in 1783. Why the man never made a big fuss about this blatant appropriation of his musical work can only be guessed at. Maybe Rabbie bunged him a few quid to pay for his silence, or threatened to send the boys round if he squealed. Or maybe he just didn't care. Who knows? Shields certainly never complained, and his 'accidental' part in one of the best known songs of the millennium remained neatly buried. He moved to London and went on to become one of the most popular musicians of his day. Spookily, he died on January 25th (1829) , the date now celebrated by Scotsmen everywhere as …..Burns Night.

Answer 7

The contrast between the vulgarity of the louse and the social pretensions of the lady on whose bonnet it is creeping produces ever greater mock outrage on the poet's part until he finally, with effective abruptness, drops the pose of the disturbed onlooker and turns to address the lady herself. The poem is full of social satire.