by josie jones

Created on: June 17, 2008   Last Updated: November 14, 2009

The mouse is interesting to him because its plight reminds him of his own. The comparison, however, is neither forced nor sentimental, and the gap between the world of mice and men is bridged by friendly compassion. The poem has charm and vigour as well as technical skill.

I feel what the artist is trying to say is that through all of the mouse's trouble he is still luckier than him. It is as though he is saying to the mouse, 'you only worry about the present whereas I look on the past and see all my dreary memories, and I look toward the future scared of what's coming'.

It is as though he is envious of the mouse for being positive and not afraid of what could be ahead. Because the mouse is in harmony with nature, the mouse only needs to worry about the present to come, therefore, the man envies this and realises that the mouse is far better off than he is. The mouse does not worry about the past or dread the future but the man does.

Burns raises the mouse to a man's level, as far as he see's it, the mouse is worthier, more noble and more dignified than humanity.

It is true that the Burns' family suffered from oppression and poverty and it is suggested that this is the context behind the poem, but this is only partly true. The lines do depict a single man and a single mood but that mood is placed before us in such a way as to exclude such irrelevant particulars as the specific cause of Burns' grief and fears.

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