"The Twa Dogs: A Tale"

Burns boldly introduced the Kilmarnock Edition, the first published volume of his poetry, with a satirical poem entitled "The Twa Dogs." The poem is a "dialogue-piece" reporting the conversation between two dogs, Luath and Caesar. Burn's favorite dog, Luath, was killed the night before his own father died. What started as a simple rhyme to memorialize his own dog evolved into a revelation of the economic disparities between poor tenant farmers and the wealthy landowners they work for.

How does Burns accomplish all this through an imaginary conversation of two animals? How does he structure the poem? What techniques does he use? What does Burns reveal about the living conditions of the poor and those of the rich? Quote lines that illustrate your point(s).

Test Message

Please use this space to make sure you are able to post to this blog by clicking on "Comments" and sending a reply.