“Ae Fond Kiss” Introduction

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“Ae Fond Kiss” Summary

“Ae Fond Kiss” Themes

• 

  The Cost of Love

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• 

  Love and Selflessness

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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Ae Fond Kiss”

• Lines 1-4

  Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
  Ae fareweel, and then forever!
  Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
  Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 5-8

  Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
  While the star of hope she leaves him?
  Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me;
  Dark despair around benights me.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 9-12

  I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
  Naething could resist my Nancy;
  But to see her was to love her;
  Love but her, and love forever.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 13-16

  Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
  Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
  Never met—or never parted—
  We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 17-20

  Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
  Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
  Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
  Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 21-24

  Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
  Ae fareweel, alas, forever!
  Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
  Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

  

  

  

  

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“Ae Fond Kiss” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Parallelism

  

  

  

  

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• Antithesis

  

  

  

  

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• Epistrophe

  

  

  

  

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• Anaphora

  

  

  

  

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• Diacope

  

  

  

  

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• Extended Metaphor

  

  

  

  

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• Refrain

  

  

  

  

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• Consonance

  

  

  

  

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• Caesura

  

  

  

  

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• Rhetorical Question

  

  

  

  

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“Ae Fond Kiss” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Ae
• Sever
• Fareweel
• Heart-wrung
• Pledge
• Thee
• Wage
• Nae
• Cheerfu'
• Lights me
• Benights
• Ne'er
• Partial
• Fancy
• Naething
• But
• Lov'd
• Sae
• Kindly
• Weel
• Thou
• Thine
• Ilka

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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Ae Fond Kiss”

• Form

• Meter

• Rhyme Scheme

“Ae Fond Kiss” Speaker

“Ae Fond Kiss” Setting

Literary and Historical Context of “Ae Fond Kiss”

More “Ae Fond Kiss” Resources

• External Resources

  • "Ae Fond Kiss" in Publication — See a digital copy of "Ae Fond Kiss" as published in "Scots Musical Museum," 1792, set to the musical tune "Rory Dall's Port."

  • Musical Rendition of "Ae Fond Kiss" — Enjoy a beautifully sung version of "Ae Fond Kiss" by Scottish singer-songwriter Eddi Reader.

  • The Background and Music of "Ae Fond Kiss" — Learn more about the relationship that inspired "Ae Fond Kiss" and listen to three musical recordings: a sung version of "Ae Fond Kiss," plus an instrumental version of the poem's original tune, "Rory Dall's Port," and the poem's more common contemporary musical setting, "My Love Today As Heretofore."

  • Burns's Letter — See a digital copy of 1791 letter Burns sent to Agnes McLehose containing the words to "Ae Fond Kiss."

  • The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum — More information about Burns's relationship with Agnes McLehose, plus pictures of the exhibit at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum dedicated to "Ae Fond Kiss."

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