The story is honest poverty. Robert Burns "Honest Poverty": analysis of the poem. Analysis of the poem "Honest Poverty" by Burns

Who's honest poverty
Ashamed and everything else
The most pathetic of people
Cowardly slave and so on.

For all that,
For all that,
Even if you and I are poor,
Wealth -
Stamp on gold
And the gold one -
We ourselves!

We eat bread and drink water,
We cover ourselves with rags
And all that stuff
Meanwhile, a fool and a rogue
Dressed in silk and drinking wine
And all that stuff.

For all that,
For all that,
Don't judge by the dress.
Who feeds himself by honest labor,
I call these people nobility

This jester is a natural lord.
We must bow to him.
But let him be prim and proud,
A log will remain a log!

For all that,
For all that,
Even though he is all in braids, -
A log will remain a log
Both in orders and in ribbons!

The king is his lackey
Appointed general
But he can't anyone
Appoint honest fellows.

For all that,
For all that,
Awards, flattery
And so on
Do not replace
Intelligence and honor
And all that stuff!

The day will come and the hour will strike,
When intelligence and honor
The whole earth will have its turn
Standing first.

For all that,
For all that,
I can predict for you
What day will it be
When all around
All people will become brothers!

Analysis of the poem "Honest Poverty" by Burns

The Scottish poet Robert Burns lived in the 18th century, at a time when the aristocracy was in power, and a person's strengths and weaknesses were determined solely by his origin. But it was a revolutionary time, and new ideas were already gaining momentum.

The poet himself came from a poor peasant family. Since childhood, he had observed the life of the common people, worked hard and knew how often wealth and a high title are accompanied by stupidity and greed. The main theme of his poem “Honest Poverty” is the contrast between the nobility, prim, pompous and empty, and the poor people. The author considers poverty to be honest, and calls the one who is ashamed of it pathetic.

The poems describe the social structure of that time. The king can give any rank to a footman, but he cannot endow him with honesty and intelligence. And the real nobility, according to Burns, are those who have true wealth: a clear conscience, the dignity of a working person and kindness. But these people are forced to eat bread, drink water and cover themselves with rags, while the titled rogues dress in silk, drink wine, enjoy various privileges and rule the country. This extremely unfair state of affairs aroused the indignation of progressive people; a revolution had already taken place in France, and all of Europe was on the verge of change. The poet is confident that the time will come when intelligence and honesty will take their rightful place, hard work will be valued, and all people will become brothers.

The poem was written in the style of a folk song, which it later became. Light in form and syllable, it appealed to the taste of the common people and imitates earlier folk compositions that were sung during work or after it in a cheerful company. Despite the weight of the social problems exposed in the lines, the tone of the work is upbeat, cheerful, it conveys the mood of the poor, who, in conditions of hard work and deprivation, still sing songs and enjoy life. And the author in poetry is not an outsider, he unites himself with the common people, expresses their thoughts.

“Honest Poverty” is a work that has not lost its relevance today. Issues of social inequality are not as acute as they were two hundred years ago, but they still concern thinking people. And, although the poems no longer have the popularity of folk ballads, they are studied by schoolchildren and students, used in theatrical productions, and remind us of love for people and faith in justice.

Composition

Scottish poet Robert Burns in his poem “Honest Poverty” talks about eternal questions: what is poverty and wealth, what is honor and intelligence. How honor and intelligence are combined with wealth and poverty.

The poem contrasts poor but honest people with rich but dishonest people. He argues that wealth does not mean that its owner is an honest and noble person. Quite the contrary: often a rich person turns out to be stupid and a scoundrel. I think that in the time of Robert Burns (and he lived in the 18th century) this was the case. Then everything in England was run by rich and noble people. They weren't necessarily the smartest, but their money and their titles gave them the right to rule the country. At the same time, many smart and worthy people could not find use for their abilities. After all, they were poor and of ignoble origin. Here Robert Burns criticizes such practices in his poem:

* We eat bread and drink water,
* We cover ourselves with rags
*And all that stuff,
* Meanwhile, a fool and a rogue
* Dressed in silk and drinking wine
* And all that stuff.

For Robert Burns himself, the real nobility are those people who earn their living by their work. He says that you cannot judge a person by his dress (and I completely agree with him on this), but the main thing is what he can do and what kind of soul he has. If a person is kind, if he is smart and honest, then it does not matter who he is by origin or how much money he has. And vice versa, no matter how much money and titles a person has, they will not replace his mind or conscience:

* For all that,
* For all that,
* Even though he is all in braids,
* A log will remain a log
* Both in orders and ribbons!

At that time, in many countries the basis of the social system was an absolute monarchy. And the king could do whatever he wanted. No one could contradict him on anything. No one could criticize his actions because he was the most noble man in the country. And he could appoint a stupid or dishonest person to any post just because he was noble or submissive to him: The king is his lackey

* Appoint as general
*But he can't anyone
* Appoint honest fellows.

And everyone around must obey such decisions. Common people were expected to bow when meeting a noble just because he was a lord. And no one was interested in the fact that this lord could be a “log of logs.” Robert Berne contrasts such people with smart and honest workers. For him, there is no one better than these people. And even if they have little money, they are rich in soul. And he calls on these people not to be ashamed of their poverty, not to think badly of themselves just because you have an empty wallet: Who is honest about their poverty

* Ashamed and everything else,
* That most pathetic of people,
* Cowardly slave and so on.

I think so too. It seems to me that when a poor man begins to worship wealth, this is wrong. A person humiliates himself like that. He becomes a real slave. Maybe not actually, but inside yourself, in your heart. He is a slave to money. Robert Berne is absolutely right: no money, no awards, no flattery and “other things” can replace a person’s intelligence or honor. I, like the wonderful Scottish poet Robert Burns, really want that day and hour to come when all people will be equal before each other, when there will be no noble and ignoble, no poor and rich. And in the first place for everyone will be intelligence and honor!

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Analysis of the poem R. Burns " Honest poverty"

“Honest Poverty” is one of Burns’s most harsh accusatory poems, created during the French Revolution (1789) under the influence of the book “The Rights of Man” by the American revolutionary publicist Thomas Paine. "Honest Poverty" became a popular song among the Scottish people. Many contemporaries called this verse "Marseillaise of ordinary people."

Scottish in his poem discusses eternal questions: what is poverty and wealth, what is honor and intelligence. How honor and intelligence are combined with wealth and poverty. The main theme is honesty with oneself, spiritual purity. The author encourages people not to be ashamed of their situation, the poverty that surrounds them. Asks them not to be ashamed of who they are and not to compare themselves with the so-called “nobility”. And those who do this, on the contrary, scold and call them “pathetic.” We see proof of this already in the first lines of the verse:

Who's honest poverty

Ashamed and everything else

The most pathetic of people

Cowardly slave and so on.

Why "Honest Poverty"? Why exactly did the author give this name to his poem? I think because behind expensive horses, luxurious houses, lush clothes, a sea of ​​precious stones and other things, according to Burns, often only meanness, deceit, stupidity and other negative qualities characteristic of “fake” people were hidden. He knows that people who are honest, conscientious, and respectful of morality are often left with nothing in this life and form a class of poor. And those who are more cunning, meaner and have most of these qualities are the “top”, “the nobility”. That is why poverty is honest. After all, if you look through expensive things, all the pomp of clothes and luxurious jewelry, then behind it lies a lot of lies, it is the foundation of all this. And if you look at what an ordinary poor peasant has, then no matter what, everything he has was acquired through honesty and self-worth. After all, often following morality and the call of justice, we end up with nothing in material terms, but we are honest with ourselves. The real dignity of a person lies in his intelligence and hard work, says Burns. You cannot cover up stupidity with a silk dress, and you cannot drown dishonesty in expensive wine.

According to the plot of the poem, we see that here the deceitful rich are contrasted with the honest poor. What is revealed to us by comparing the lives of some and others

We eat bread and drink water,

We cover ourselves with rags

And all that stuff

Meanwhile, a fool and a rogue

Dressed in silk and drinking wine

And all that stuff.

In composition, the poem resembles a standard folk song (which it later became). There is a verse with a certain meaning, after which there is a constant repetition of certain words that serve as a kind of chant.

For all that,

For all that

Similar repetitions are observed in almost all folk songs. The first part of the chorus remains unchanged, while the other is constantly changing, and is related in theme to the previous verse, which forms a standard scheme of interconnected semantic parts that have a beginning, middle and end.

The very tone of the poem and its mood do not seem tragic, despite the fact that its role is to expose all sorts of vices of the deceitful and dishonest and contrast them with honest beggars. Burns himself was a peasant-man from the people, and therefore wrote in a simple and uncomplicated style, in ordinary simple words, understandable to any mortal. This is where his simple and uplifting poetry comes from. Reading “Honest Poverty” you understand why many lines of his works became slogans and aphorisms. Having dedicated his work to ordinary people, this poet deservedly received popular recognition and love. Also, frequent rhetorical exclamations add energy and emotionality to the verse:

Wealth - Stamp on gold

And the golden one is ourselves!

Or you can see the same thing at the end of the third chorus:

A log will remain a log

Both in orders and in ribbons!

And so on at almost the end of every verse, except the second.

There is also a large number of phonetic repetitions (alliteration) of some sonorant consonant sounds, and in particular [l”], [m], [n], which, in turn, gives even more elation and sets the rhythm: The lyrical hero does not separates himself from the crowd, but on the contrary unites himself with people like him:

1. Even if you and I are poor

2. We eat bread and drink water

3. We cover ourselves with rags

He acts on behalf of the people, expresses their thoughts in his poem, talking about their daily life. He does not strive to stand out, he calls to unite everyone who is his “brother” spiritually and materially, which again shows us as a spokesman for the thoughts of “mere mortals” who have never known what luxurious wines, lush dresses and expensive overseas entertainment are.

The main role in the simplicity of this verse was, of course, its size. Not loaded, not bulky, light and simple, the two-syllable iambic is the best choice for a poem on this topic. As has already been said many times, Burns’s poems are easily set to music and are memorable, therefore, in terms of rhythm and meaning, “BW” easily turned into a widespread Scottish folk song, vaguely reminiscent of the primitive compositions of an earlier time, with which people accompanied their work or any games .

Almost every line is imbued with positive sentiments, faith in a better future and that justice will prevail. The author is not shy, and directly expresses his position with proud confidence and a look to the future:

The day will come and the hour will strike

When intelligence and honor

The whole earth will have its turn

Standing first.

Again, reading these lines, you involuntarily begin to believe in his words. And for the most part, these poems were written in order to thereby raise the people's spirit and prevent it from falling. To support everyone who was already tired of all the troubles that befell him in this situation, and was able to look further. In a sense, we can safely say that Burns could boldly raise uprisings and be a people's leader, since he literally guesses the thoughts of every person in such a position.

We understand the main idea of ​​the poem through the antithesis - the constant opposition of poverty and wealth, honesty and deceit, for example, through everyday objects or from stories about everyday life:

We eat bread and drink water,

We cover ourselves with rags

And all that stuff

Meanwhile, a fool and a rogue

Dressed in silk and drinking wine

And all that stuff.

accusatory poem antithesis

The poet contrasts intelligent and honest workers with noble, but stupid and ignorant people. Poor people are often very decent people. A good person can hide behind a bad dress. And vice versa, whoever wears rich clothes often turns out to be a “fool and a rogue.” Therefore, Burns calls on us to “not judge by our clothes,” and the poor not to be ashamed of their poverty.

To enhance the effect of the antithesis, as well as to give special lightness and emotionality to the verse, the poet uses frequent repetitions and comparisons (see above). These days, poetry is popular in its subject matter. It is easy to remember and can become very popular if it is set to new music by some modern performer. For example, like the same songs of Tsoi or Vysotsky that young people love to sing around the fire. Now it is not particularly popular, but it exists in the performance of such little-known singers as Maria Cherkaskaya, Efrem Flax, etc., and it is also known to be reproduced in the play “Robin Hood” staged by one of the Moscow musical theaters.

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From Guest >>

Please help, Robert Burns, Honest Poverty. Did you like Burns' song? Why? What angers the poet? What does he hope and believe in?

Here's the verse:

Who's honest poverty

Ashamed and everything else

The most pathetic of people

Cowardly slave and so on.

For all that,

For all that,

Even if you and I are poor,

Wealth -

Stamp on gold

And the gold one is

We eat bread and drink water,

We cover ourselves with rags

And all that stuff

Meanwhile, a fool and a rogue

Dressed in silk and drinking wine

And all that stuff.

For all that,

For all that,

Don't judge by the dress.

Who feeds himself by honest labor,

I call these people nobility

This jester is a natural lord.

We must bow to him.

But let him be prim and proud,

A log will remain a log!

For all that,

For all that,

Even though he is all in braids, -

A log will remain a log

Both in orders and in ribbons!

The king is his lackey

Appointed general

But he can't anyone

Appoint honest fellows.

For all that,

For all that,

Awards, flattery

Do not replace

Intelligence and honor

And all that stuff!

The day will come and the hour will strike,

When intelligence and honor

The whole earth will have its turn

Standing first.

For all that,

For all that,

I can predict for you

What day will it be

When all around

All people will become brothers!

Left a reply Guest

1.Good verse. I really don't like the writing style.

2. Because I share his views on society.

3. The poet is outraged by the “wrong elite”; he suggests that the elite is not the top of society, but its fertile layer. He defines the elite as: honest, decent, smart, brave. But many others, I think completely differently. This outrages him. He is also outraged that not all people get what they deserve. He adheres to the rules of Leninism "from everyone By abilities, to each By needs,” but his views are clearly not shared by everyone.

4. He hopes that people will finally reconsider their priorities and put the best qualities in themselves first. He believes that the time will come when people will stop fighting for “a place in the sun”, that someday people will understand that the most important thing is not wealth and power, but humanity.

Rate the answer

Robert Burns, a famous Scottish poet, wrote the poem "Honest Poverty". The domestic reader has probably become familiar with this work in the translation by Samuil Marshak. As the title of the work suggests, the author asks eternal questions. It is important for him to understand what poverty is and what wealth is, what honor is and what intelligence is. Is it possible for one person to combine honor and intelligence with poverty? Can a rich person be called honest and intelligent?

Robert Burns lived in the 18th century. At that time, Britain was ruled by wealthy English nobles. They were not always the smartest and could make informed and rational decisions, but having titles and money gave them many rights, including the opportunity to take part in governing the country.

At the same time, many people who showed intelligence and respected dignity, but were not rich enough and did not have a noble origin, could not find themselves in this life and were not included in the processes of governing the country. This situation seemed unfair to the poet, and criticism of the then order openly and loudly sounds in his work.

Who does Burns consider truly noble and worthy of honor? First of all, he includes among them those who independently earn their living through their labor. According to Burns, it is impossible to judge a person by the clothes he wears, but by the wine he drinks, by the food he eats - such assessments will be superficial and will not fully reflect the inner morbidity of the interlocutor. Much more important are the spiritual characteristics of a person - kindness, intelligence, honesty. And then questions of origin and the presence of money in the wallet fade into the background.

The poem is based on the contrast between the poor but honest and the rich but dishonest. The author states: wealth often does not give its owner the characteristics of an honest and noble person. More often there are people whom wealth has made stupid and dishonest. Never, according to the author, will money and titles replace intelligence and conscience, which, unfortunately, were lost on the path to fame and wealth.

As literary critics report, the political events that took place in Europe during the life of Robert Burns (for example, the French Revolution) could not but affect him, his writing style and coverage of social problems. The author sincerely considered the revolution to be a way out for the situation created in England, seeing no other way to save people from poverty and lawlessness into which the desires of those in power had plunged them.

During the course of the story, Burns criticizes absolute monarchy as the social system that dominated Europe at that time. According to the author, a king who could do whatever came into his head. which generally could not be contradicted and which could not be criticized, essentially represented the quintessence of all the evil that dominated the society of that time.

The Scottish poet's poems have been popular among literature fans for more than 200 years. The lines of his most famous works eventually became the slogans under which revolutions were carried out. Reading “Honest Poverty”, you are amazed at how a simple farmer (and this is precisely the origin of the author) could create such exquisite ballads, various messages and poignant epigrams. At the same time, he worked physically, and his work was hard and at times even overwhelming, but even constant need could not hide in him that joy of life, that fun and that love for humanity that runs through all his works.