Caledonia-A Ballad by Robert Burns
“Caledonia—A Ballad” portrays brave Caledonia as a divine heroine whose realm stretches from Tweed to the Orcades. Peaceful in tending flocks and crops, yet fierce in war, she especially delights in hunting among the woods with hounds and horn. Her grandfather Odin vows that any who provoke her will regret it. When successive flights of predatory eagles arrive from Adria’s strand to darken the sky and plunder the land, Caledonia retreats to her hills, shoots her arrows, and drives the invaders to flee or die. She also destroys the Cameleon-Savage after he brings tumult, rebellion, and strife. The Anglian lion repeatedly prowls and bloodies the Tweed, but Caledonia’s lance teaches him to fear within his own wood. Later, the Harpy-raven from the north and the Scandinavian boar spread carnage across countries and kingdoms, yet fail against her, as Largs and Loncartie testify. The speaker declares that Caledonia will remain bold, independent, unconquered, free, and immortal. In a playful geometrical proof, Chance is made the upright side of a right triangle, Time its base, and Caledonia its hypothenuse; therefore, she will always equal and withstand them both.
By Robert Burns · First published 1792 · Genre: Patriotic Poetry, Ballad, National Allegory · 621 words
First lines
Tune-"Caledonian Hunts' Delight" of Mr. Gow.
There was once a day, but old Time wasythen young, / That brave Caledonia, the chief of her line, / From some of your northern deities sprung, / (Who knows not that brave Caledonia's divine? ) / From Tweed to the Orcades was her domain, / To hunt, or to pasture, or do what she would: / Her heav'nly relations there fixed her reign, / And pledg'd her their godheads to warrant it good.
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Genres
- Patriotic Poetry — The poem celebrates Caledonia as a heroic, unconquered, and enduring national figure, emphasizing Scottish pride, independence, and military resilience.
- Ballad — Explicitly titled a ballad and written for the tune 'Caledonian Hunts' Delight,' it uses a narrative poetic form, regular stanzas, and a public, song-like style.
- National Allegory — Scotland is personified as the female heroine Caledonia, while historical enemies appear as symbolic animals and monsters, turning national history into allegorical conflict.
- Historical Poetry — The work invokes Scotland's conflicts with Roman, English, Norse, and other invaders, including allusions to battles such as Largs and Loncarty.
Tags
Scottish nationalism · Caledonia personified · Scottish independence · patriotic poetry · Scotland · Tweed River · Orkney Islands · mythological Scotland · Odin · martial heroine · defence against invasion · Anglo-Scottish conflict
What this Textopian page supports
Caledonia-A Ballad is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1792 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1792 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Patriotic Poetry, Ballad, National Allegory, Historical Poetry, Heroic Poetry
- Length: 621 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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