Tam O'Shanter: "Ayr, that evening"

Tam O’Shanter: “Ayr, that evening”

Form and Structure:

  • “Tam O’Shanter: Ayr, that evening” is crafted as an epic poem in the Scottish dialect.
  • The poem consists of a series of quatrains, a stanza or verse with four lines.
  • The specific verse scheme followed in this poem is rhyme royal or an ABABCCDD rhyme scheme.
  • “Tam O’Shanter” is known for its long, narrative style, resulting in it being classified as a tale.

Verse Structure:

  • The first two lines of each verse are iambic tetrameter, containing four metric feet.
  • The third and fourth lines showcase iambic dimeter, containing two metrical feet.

Use of Refrain:

  • Unlike some of his other works, “Tam O’Shanter: Ayr, that evening” does not utilise a refraining chorus in its structure.

Narrative Style:

  • The poem presents a third-person perspective narrative.
  • Burns works to maintain a sense of colloquial storytelling, as if hearing the tale from a local villager.
  • He engages readers by using the narrator as a character in the story, adding extra layers of authenticity and character depth.

Themes and Symbolism:

  • Burns explores themes of folklore, superstition, and morality in “Tam O’Shanter: Ayr, that evening.”
  • Tam’s horse, Meg, symbolises his saving grace and his connection to reality, rescuring him from threats of the supernatural.
  • The locale of Auld Kirk stands as a symbol of danger and the supernatural, housing witches and warlocks, stressing the fear and superstitious beliefs of Burns’ contemporary Scottish society.
  • The poem is often referred to as a ‘cautionary tale’ underscoring values of temperance, domesticity, and the dire consequences of excessive revelry.

Style and Language:

  • The colloquial language used by Burns in the poem further emphasises the local, familiar environment of the plot and the characters.
  • Despite the supernatural elements, Burns masterfully sustains an atmosphere of humour, eerie suspense, and tension in his storytelling.
  • The vivid descriptions and imaginative similes create a remarkably visual reading experience, transporting readers to the Scottish landscape and folklore.

Ending:

  • The prominent moral at the poem’s closure, warning men against temptations of alcohol and transgressions against their wives, emphasises the real-life issues Burns intended to illustrate through this fantastical tale.