Figurative languages by contrast consist of paradox, irony, and hyperbole. Robert Burns’ poem entitled “A Red, Red Rose” is one of the poems which contain figurative language by contrast in the form of hyperbole dominating most of part of the poem. Hyperbole it self is characterized by showing something abundantly.
The first stanza of “A Red, Red Rose” is descriptions of love the speaker had. The stanza shows that the love was very beautiful. The writer compared the love with a very red rose which blossom in the spring and with the melody which is sweetly played in tune. The comparison indicates hyperbole where love is described as if it the most beautiful thing.
In the second stanza the speaker of the poem was deeply falling in love with a girl and he stated that he would still in love with the sweetheart forever, but the writer would rather use the sentence “Till a’ the sea gang dry” better than the word “forever” or “all my life”. This clearly shows hyperbole in which something showed abundantly.
The hyperbole is strengthened in the third and fourth stanza. The use of sentences “the rock melt wi’ the sun”, “the sand o’ life shall run”, and “though it were ten thousand miles” are forms of hyperbole. The sentences don’t contain real meanings. They just support and strengthen the real messages the writer wanted to deliver.