Robert burns honest poverty read in full. R. Burns “Honest Poverty.” What is a person's true wealth? Analysis of the poem "Honest Poverty" by Burns

Walter Scott recalled: “There was great modesty, simplicity and ease in him... Intelligence and strength were felt in his entire appearance, and only his eyes betrayed his poetic nature and temperament. Large and dark, they burned when he talked about something with strength and passion. Never in my life have I seen such eyes. His speech was full of freedom and confidence, without the slightest complacency. He expressed his convictions firmly, but with restraint and modesty. He read his poems slowly, expressively and with great strength...”

The future poet was born near the Scottish city of Ayr, in the family of a poor farmer. The family did not have their own land. We had to rent from the landowner. Since childhood, Robert worked in the fields and helped his father. I had to work hard. But the rocky soil produced a meager harvest. The poverty of the family is also evidenced by the fact that Robert and his brother had one pair of shoes between them, so when it was time to go to school, they took turns studying.

Rice. 1. Portrait. Robert Burns. 1759 - 1796 ()

Despite poverty, an atmosphere of love and kindness reigned in the family. From childhood, my mother instilled a love for Scottish culture, sang folk songs, and told fairy tales. The father was involved in raising his sons and even wrote a book for them, “Instructions on Faith and Piety.” Robert will write warm words about his father:

My father was an honest farmer.

He had no income

But from his heirs

He demanded order.

Taught me how to maintain dignity

Even if you don't have a penny in your pockets.

The worst thing is the honor of changing,

Why be in torn rags?

The poetic gift woke up early in Robert. In his notebook he will write: “The rhyme and melody of the verse became the voice of my heart. I longed for communication with people, I had a natural liveliness of character, the ability to notice everything, to form my own judgments about everything.”

Robert reflects his observations and thoughts in poems, which he often composes while walking behind the plow. Burns glorifies the life of the common people, the hard work of peasants, plowmen, coal miners, shepherds and blacksmiths - “those who are pure in heart, straight in soul and have lived as they should,” those who truly love their land and admire its intoxicating beauty. The poet writes about those who know how to value friendship and love:

Neither high-profile rank, nor papal rank,

Nor London Rich Bank

Bliss is not given.

But the reward of rewards is

A tear of love, a look of participation,

Smile of kind eyes!

And if we get into trouble,

And we will find good in it.

Let the trouble be hard for us,

But in it you will find out

How to distinguish good from evil,

Where is the truth and where is the lie.

Burns's timid attempt to publish his poems, unexpectedly for the poor peasant, was crowned with success. In 1786, his first book of poems was published, only 600 copies. They separated within a few days! The book was read everywhere! The collection reached the capital of Scotland - Edinburgh, and from there came a letter from the poet Blacklock with a laudatory review and a promise of support for the talented poet.

On November 27, 1786, on someone else's horse, without a single letter of recommendation and almost without money, Burns went to the capital, taking with him his new works. Edinburgh greeted with delight “poet-ploughman”, “poetic miracle from the provinces”. The following collections of poetry and poems will be published here.

Burns's poems captivated readers with their sincerity, simplicity, and purity. They are close to folk ballads and songs, the love for which the poet absorbed with his mother’s milk. Burns was the first to show the Scots and the English the importance of folk speech, publishing at the age of 27 the collection “Poems Mainly Written in the Scottish Dialect”, and then he managed to collect and prepare for publication works of Scottish poetic folklore: folk legends, ballads, songs, poems. One might say that Robert Burns rediscovered a treasure trove of folk art for his homeland.

In one of his last poems the poet exclaimed:

Long live the right to write!

Only he is afraid of the truthful page,

Who is forced to hide the truth.

All his life the poet searched for the truth. What kind of truth are we talking about?

Honest poverty.

Rice. 2. Peasant family. Hood. Louis Lenain ()

Who's honest poverty

Ashamed and everything else

The most pathetic of people

Cowardly slave and so on.

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,

Don't judge by the dress.

Who feeds himself by honest labor,

I call these people nobility

Rice. 3. Courtiers ()

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,

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,

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,

I can predict for you

What day will it be

When all around

All people will become brothers!

Features of the composition:

verse + chorus;

refrain (repetition of lines in chorus);

antithesis (artistic opposition).

Examples of opposition (antithesis):

Conclusion: the life of a poor man is harsh, full of hardship and sorrow, but if the choice is between honest poverty and vile wealth, Robert Burns is on the side of the poor.

In the poem “Honest Poverty,” Robert Burns is merciless towards the rich. His criticism is striking in its daring directness. He calls the lord - jester and log (i.e. a blockhead), the general - lackey. The poet sympathizes with the king who surrounded himself liars and fools.

Burns dreams of a time when honesty and integrity will be rewarded:

The day will come and the hour will strike,

When intelligence and honor

The whole earth will have its turn

Standing first.

The poet himself did not live to see that day. He died at 37 years old. Hard, exhausting work, constant deprivation, need - all this brought his premature death closer.

In Russian literature, Burns's poetry has become popular since the beginning of the 19th century. So, for example, I. S. Turgenev wrote to Nekrasov: “I am sure in advance that you will be delighted with Burns and will soon begin translating him with pleasure. Burns is a pure source of poetry."

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Take a close look at the illustrations for Burns' poem "Honest Poverty." What compositional device do they enhance?
Think about the intonation with which you should read the poem “Honest Poverty.” (sad or upbeat?)

You need to read the poem “Honest Poverty” by Robert Burns as one of the most famous works of the great Scottish poet, in which he expresses his opinion about poverty and wealth. The author directly says that it is better to be an honest poor man than to wallow in unjustly acquired wealth. This poem was written shortly before the poet's death and was inspired by the events of the French Revolution, which Burns saw as a solution to the problems of hard-working people who were not burdened with wealth. Teaching it in a classroom literature lesson is like the poetic testament of a farmer who became a poet.

The text of Burns’s poem “Honest Poverty” contains both mockery, and a very caustic one, and accusatory irony towards the rich, and almost prophetic lines that social inequality must nevertheless come to an end. The poetic lines are filled with sincere hope that a world in which those who work can be happy can be built. By reading the work online in its entirety, one can also see the optimism and confidence in the future of the ordinary Scottish people, of which its author was a part. Expressing his opinion, the talented Scot speaks in simple but vivid language.

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 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 the court 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
Intelligence and honor are no substitute
And all that stuff!

The day will come and the hour will strike,
When intelligence and honor
All over the earth the turn will come
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!

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!

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,

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,

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,

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,

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,

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

“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.