O Ay My Wife She Dang Me
written in 1795
O Ay My Wife She Dang Me - context Summary
1795: Burns on Marriage
Written in 1795, this short Scots song stages a witty, rueful complaint about married life. The speaker recounts being roughly treated by his wife, framing marriage as a thwarted hope for peace. Refrains repeat the blunt proverb that giving a woman her will leads to being overborne, while the closing stanza shifts briefly to consolation in promised afterlife relief. The poem reflects Burns’ personal experience of marriage to Jean Armour, combining domestic frustration with folk-song cadence and a resigned, ironic voice.
Read Complete AnalysesO aye my wife she dang me, An' aft my wife she bang'd me, If ye gie a woman a' her will, Gude faith she'll soon o'ergang ye. On peace and rest my mind was bent, And fool I was I marry'd; But never honest man's intent As cursedly miscarry'd. O aye my wife she dang me, An' aft my wife she bang'd me, If ye gie a woman a' her will, Gude faith she'll soon o'ergang ye. Some sairie comfort at the last, When a' thir days are done, man, My pains o' hell on earth is past, I'm sure o' bliss aboon, man. O aye my wife she dang me, An' aft my wife she bang'd me, If ye gie a woman a' her will, Gude faith she'll soon o'ergang ye.
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