Robene and Makyne

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Main article: Robert Henryson

Robene and Makyne is a much admired short pastoral poem by the Scottish poet Robert Henryson. It has sixteen ballad-like stanzas and is so utterly simple in structure and plot, yet highly compressed, multi-layered and open in possible interpretation that it lays claim to being a unique example of its kind.

It is a perfect example of Henryson's ability to combine complexity and restraint.

Contents

[edit] Outline

Two apparent peasant characters are briefly invoked; Robene a shepherd and Makyne a maid. It is a poem of two halves. In the opening arc Makyne (also spelt Mawkin) declares longstanding love for Robene but he is indifferent to her feelings. Minds quickly change. In the second part the hopeless declaration is from Robene and the turn comes at the golden section. Makyne's rejection of him is final.

The poem has a subtext suggesting issues to do with Christian vows which in the context of the late medieval Church was a topic almost certain to have been material in the poet's own life. There is no one explanation of how this was to be read and the extreme spareness allows dissonant possibilities to be simultaneously present. But it works without pretentiousness or loss of feeling and the poem stands as a simple comic creation with a range of emotion and intriguing tonal ambiguity.

Its closure is peculiar in effect with a subtle sense of musical return.[1]

[edit] Extract

Stanzas 12 and 13 of Robene and Makyne

This section follows the turning point.

"Robene, thow hes hard soung and say
In gestis and storeis auld,
The man that will nocht quhen he may
Sall haif nocht quhen he wald.
I pray to Jesu every day
Mot eik thair cairis cauld
That first preiss with the to play
Be firth, forrest or fawld."
"Makyne, the nicht is soft and dry,
The wedder is warme and fair,
And the grene woid rycht neir us by
To walk attour allquhair;
Thair ma na janglour us espy,
That is to lufe contrair;
Thairin, Makyne, bath ye and I
Unsene we ma repair."

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "I do not know which to prefer,
    The beauty of inflections
    Or the beauty of innuendoes,
    The blackbird whistling
    Or just after."
    Wallace Stevens, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird."

[edit] Appreciation and interpretation

  • One notable appreciation and interpretation of the poem, by the distinguished 20th century Scottish poet and critic Tom Scott (1918 - 1995) can be found here:

Tom Scott on Henryson's Short Works


Robert Henryson
The Morall Fabillis
The Cok and the Jasp | The Twa Myis | Schir Chanticleir and the Foxe | The Confessioun of the Tod | The Parliament of the fourfuttit Beistis | The Scheip and the Doig | The Lyoun and the Mous | The Preiching of the Swallow | The Foxe, the Wolf and the Cadgear | The Schadow of the Mone | The Wolf and the Wedder | The Wolf and the Lamb | The Paddok and the Mous
Other works
The Testament of Cresseid | Orpheus and Erudices | Robene and Makyne | The Annuciation | Sum Practysis of Medecyne | The Bludy Serk | The Garment of Gud Ladeis | Against Hasty Credence | The Praise of Age | The Abbay Walk | The Thre Deid-Pollis | Twa Ressonings | Ane Prayer for the Pest