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Address to the Deil

Address to the Deil is a poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns. It was written in Mossgiel in 1785 and published in Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect in 1786. It is generally considered as one of Burns best poems. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikisource – The Free Library – is a Wikimedia project to build a free, wiki library of primary source texts, along with translations of source-texts into any language and other supporting materials. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Robert Burns Robert Burns, preeminent Scottish poet Robert Burns (January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796) was a pioneer of the Romantic movement and after his death became an important source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism. ... See also: 1784 in literature, other events of 1785, 1786 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1785 in literature, other events of 1786, 1787 in literature, list of years in literature. ...

The poem was written as a humorous portrayal of the Devil and the pulpit oratory of the Presbyterian Church. The poem starts by quoting from Milton's Paradise Lost as a contrast with the first two lines of the poem itself: The Devil is the name given to a supernatural entity, who, in most Western religions, is the central embodiment of evil. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... John Milton, English poet John Milton (December 9, 1608 – November 8, 1674) was an English poet, best-known for his epic poem Paradise Lost. ... Title page of the first edition Paradise Lost (1667) is an epic poem by the 17th century English poet John Milton. ...

"O thou! Whatever title suit thee,

Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick or Clootie"

These lines are also a parody of a couplet in Alexander Pope's satire The Dunciad. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Alexander Pope, an English poet best known for his Essay on Criticism and Rape of the Lock Pope, circa 1727. ... Alexander Pope The Dunciad is a landmark literary satire by Alexander Pope published in three different versions at different times. ...

The poem was written in a Habbie stanza with the stanza six lines long and the rhyme aaabab. Burns used a similar stanza in Death and Doctor Hornbrook. A popular stanza among Scottish poets. ...

The poem is also skeptical of the Devil's existence and of his intentions to punish sinners for all eternity as in the stanza.

Hear me, auld Hangie, for a wee,

An’ let poor damned bodies be;

I’m sure sma’ pleasure it can gie,

Ev’n to a deil,

To skelp an’ scaud poor dogs like me,

An’ hear us squeel!

This contrasts with the views contained in works such as Paradise Lost and the preachings of the Church. William Blake adapted Address to the Deil in his poem The Tyger published in Songs of Experience published in 1794. William Blake (1807) William Blake (November 28, 1757 – August 12, 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker. ... Plate with The Tyger, illustration by William Blake The Tyger is a poem by the English poet William Blake. ... The Songs of Experience is a poetry collection, forming the second part of William Blakes Songs of Innocence and Experience. ... See also: 1793 in literature, other events of 1794, 1795 in literature, list of years in literature. ...

References

Online References

• The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes Volume XI Chapter X on Burns
• The Burns Encylopedia article on Address to the Deil

Other References

• Robert Burns Robert Burns Penguin Classics 1994 ISBN 0140423826
• David Punter, A Companion to the Gothic Blackwell Publishing 2001 ISBN 0631231994 page 73
• Robert Burns, The Works of Robert Burns Wordsworth Editions 1998 ISBN 1853264156 especially page 571
• Jerome J McGann, Byron and Romanticism Cambridge University Press 2002 ISBN 0521007224 page 269