Epitaph on a Henpecked Country Squire
The epitaph portrays a man dominated by his wife, while the wife herself is ruled by the devil. By comparing him to father Adam, who was first deceived, it treats male subjection to women as an enduring and common folly.
By Robert Burns · First published 1786 · Genre: Epitaph, Satirical Poetry, Humorous Verse · 40 words
First lines
As father Adam first was fool'd, / (A case that's still too common,) / Here lies man a woman ruled, / The devil ruled the woman.
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Genres
- Epitaph — The poem is explicitly framed as a mock grave inscription, beginning with 'Here lies' and summarizing the dead man's life and fate.
- Satirical Poetry — Burns uses comic exaggeration and a biting reversal of authority to ridicule the henpecked squire and conventional gender anxieties.
- Humorous Verse — The short rhyme depends on a witty punchline: the man is ruled by a woman, who is herself ruled by the devil.
- Epigram — Its extreme brevity, compressed observation, and pointed final turn give it the character of an epigram.
Tags
epitaph · satirical verse · Scottish poetry · eighteenth-century literature · country squire · marital domination · henpecked husband · wife's authority · gender relations · misogynistic satire · marriage · domestic power
What this Textopian page supports
Epitaph on a Henpecked Country Squire is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1786 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1786 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Epitaph, Satirical Poetry, Humorous Verse, Epigram, Comic Poetry
- Length: 40 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
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