Water Ballad by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Poem, Summary, & Analysis)

 

Water Ballad

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

(Poem, Summary, & Analysis) 

Water Ballad

 

Come hither, gently rowing,

Come, bear me quickly o'er

This stream so brightly flowing

To yonder woodland shore.

But vain were my endeavour

To pay thee, courteous guide;

Row on, row on, for ever

I'd have thee by my side.

 

Good boatman, prithee haste thee,

I seek my father-land. --

Say, when I there have placed thee,

Dare I demand thy hand?

A maiden's head can never

So hard a point decide;

Row on, row on, for ever

I'd have thee by my side.

 

The happy bridal over

The wanderer ceased to roam,

For, seated by her lover,

The boat became her home.

And they still sang together

As steering o'er the tide:

Row on through wind and weather

For ever by my side.

 

Summary

Stanza 1:

The poem opens with a speaker—presumably a young maiden—calling out to a boatman. She requests him to row gently and swiftly across a bright, flowing stream toward a distant woodland shore. Despite recognizing that she can offer no adequate reward for his kindness, she expresses deep gratitude and admiration. Her affection is evident as she confesses that, if it were possible, she would keep him by her side forever.

Stanza 2:

In the second stanza, the speaker urges the boatman to hurry because she is eager to reach her "father-land," suggesting a return to her homeland or origin. She then poses a personal and emotional question: once he has safely delivered her there, could she dare to ask for his hand in marriage? Aware of the emotional weight of such a decision, she admits that her own heart is unable to determine the answer. Yet again, she reaffirms her desire to have him always with her, repeating the refrain: “Row on, row on, for ever / I'd have thee by my side.”

Stanza 3:

The final stanza reveals the resolution of the earlier uncertainty. The "happy bridal" has taken place, signifying that the maiden and the boatman have married. The wanderer (the maiden) no longer roams or searches—she has found her resting place. She now lives with her lover, and the boat becomes their shared home. They continue to row together through life, harmoniously singing the refrain, expressing lasting love and companionship: “Row on through wind and weather / For ever by my side.”

Conclusion:
Water Ballad tells a gentle, romantic story of a maiden who, while crossing a stream with a boatman, gradually expresses her growing affection for him. What begins as a simple journey transforms into a poetic metaphor for love, commitment, and shared life. The boatman's presence becomes a source of comfort and desire, culminating in marriage and an enduring partnership. The repeated refrain emphasizes constancy and the wish for lifelong companionship.

 

Analysis in Detail

Overview:

Water Ballad is a short romantic lyric that presents an idealized and symbolic journey of love. It features a young maiden and a boatman whose literal journey across a stream becomes a metaphor for the emotional voyage toward love, unity, and eventual marital commitment. Coleridge weaves simple language with musical rhythm and repetition to evoke the sweetness, uncertainty, and fulfillment of romantic longing.

Structure and Form:

• The poem consists of three stanzas, each with eight lines.
• It follows a regular rhyme scheme, generally ABABCDCD, which contributes to the song-like, ballad quality.
• The refrain “Row on, row on, for ever / I'd have thee by my side” (varied slightly in the last stanza) creates rhythm and reinforces the emotional tone of longing and continuity.
• The poem uses quatrains (four-line groupings) embedded in each stanza to support balance and flow.

 

Themes:

1. Love and Longing:

The central theme of the poem is romantic love. The maiden’s request for companionship begins modestly but becomes a heartfelt longing. Her desire to have the boatman always by her side evolves into a vision of shared life and love.

2. Uncertainty and Hope:

The second stanza brings emotional tension—she wants to ask for his hand but feels unsure whether she can or should. This moment of hesitation reveals the inner conflict between social norms, personal feelings, and vulnerability in expressing love.

3. Fulfillment and Togetherness:

The final stanza resolves the tension. The love is returned, and marriage has united them. The once-temporary boat ride becomes a permanent journey—symbolizing life together. The idea that “the boat became her home” implies that the transitory has become eternal through love.

4. Journey as a Metaphor:

The entire poem uses the journey across the stream as a symbol of emotional and relational transformation—from desire to union, from longing to fulfillment.

 

Characterization and Voice:

• The maiden is the main speaker and protagonist. Her voice is earnest, affectionate, and reflective. She moves from polite gratitude to vulnerable questioning, and finally to joyful contentment.
• The boatman is silent, but his presence is pivotal. He is initially a “courteous guide,” then an object of love and finally her partner. The silence can be interpreted as symbolic—representing love that acts rather than speaks.

 

Imagery and Symbolism:

• The Stream: Represents the flow of time or life’s journey. Its brightness may symbolize hope or emotional awakening.
• The Boat: A recurring symbol in poetry, here it is both a literal vehicle and a metaphor for a relationship or life-path.
• “Father-land”: Suggests a return to roots or home, but also could imply a yearning for stability, belonging, or union with something deeply meaningful.
• Weather and Tide: In the final stanza, “wind and weather” suggest the trials of life. Despite these, the couple remains united—"for ever by my side."

 

Language and Tone:

• The language is simple and lyrical, suited for a romantic ballad.
• Coleridge uses archaic expressions like “prithee” and “hither,” enhancing the poem’s timeless or fairy-tale quality.
• The tone progresses: from polite and expectant → emotionally uncertain → satisfied and harmonious.
• The repeated refrain gives the poem a musical, soothing quality, echoing the motion of rowing and the persistence of love.

 

Conclusion:

Water Ballad is a delicately crafted lyric poem that moves from the beginning of love to its fulfillment. Coleridge masterfully uses the metaphor of a boat journey to illustrate emotional progression—from attraction and doubt to unity and peace. The poem celebrates constancy, harmony, and the simplicity of heartfelt love, wrapped in a melodic, gently flowing form that mirrors the water it describes.

It stands as a gentle testament to love that is both humble in its origin and enduring in its resolution.

 

Key Exam Points

1. Title Significance:

• "Water Ballad" suggests a romantic song or lyrical narrative associated with water—a symbol of emotion, movement, and transformation.
• The word “Ballad” indicates a traditional, lyrical form often used to tell stories of love and longing.

 

2. Form and Structure:

• 3 stanzas, each with 8 lines.
• Rhyme scheme: ABABCDCD (mostly regular).
• Refrain (repetition): Emphasizes longing and emotional continuity –

"Row on, row on, for ever / I'd have thee by my side."

 

3. Speaker and Voice:

• The maiden is the speaker.
• Her tone shifts from polite and thankful to hopeful and affectionate, finally to fulfilled and content.

 

4. Themes:

• Love and Desire: Central to the poem; emotional longing turns into a committed relationship.
• Emotional Uncertainty: The maiden is unsure whether she can or should ask for the boatman’s hand.
• Journey and Union: The river journey symbolizes the emotional journey toward unity and love.
• Fulfillment and Stability: Final stanza shows marriage and a shared life.

 

5. Tone and Mood:

• Starts with gentle longing, moves into uncertainty, and ends with contentment and harmony.
• Overall mood: Romantic, hopeful, and serene.

 

6. Final Message:

• Love, when sincere and mutual, leads to lasting companionship.
• Life may bring wind and weather (challenges), but true love offers stability and unity.

 

7. Contextual Insight:

• Coleridge often wrote poems with themes of nature, emotion, and spiritual connection.
• This poem is lighter and more romantic than many of his philosophical or supernatural works.

 

Tip for Exams:

Use quotes like “The boat became her home” or “Row on through wind and weather” to illustrate how the poem moves from a simple journey to a lifelong commitment.

 

Revision Sheet

Poem Overview:

Water Ballad is a short, romantic lyric poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that narrates the emotional journey of a young maiden who falls in love with a boatman during a river crossing. Through three stanzas, the poem progresses from polite gratitude to emotional longing and ultimately to fulfillment through love and marriage.

 

Form and Structure:

The poem is structured into three stanzas, each containing eight lines. It follows a consistent rhyme scheme (ABABCDCD) that supports the flowing, musical rhythm. A refrain is repeated in the first two stanzas and slightly altered in the third, enhancing the poem’s lyrical quality and emphasizing the speaker’s longing for the boatman’s continued presence.

 

Voice and Tone:

The speaker is a maiden who begins by asking the boatman to ferry her across a brightly flowing stream. Her tone is gentle, respectful, and increasingly affectionate. In the second stanza, her tone becomes emotionally uncertain as she contemplates asking him for his hand in marriage. By the final stanza, the tone shifts to joy and stability, showing that the couple has married and now journey together through life.

 

Key Themes:

The dominant theme is romantic love—its growth, emotional uncertainty, and eventual fulfillment. The poem also explores the idea of companionship, the passage from longing to union, and the metaphor of life as a journey shared by two souls. The physical river crossing symbolizes deeper emotional and spiritual movement toward love and commitment.

 

Imagery and Symbolism:

Water imagery runs throughout the poem, with the stream representing the flow of life and love. The boat is symbolic of a shared life journey. The “father-land” may represent the maiden’s home or a spiritual destination, suggesting a return to a place of belonging. The final lines mention “wind and weather,” symbolizing life’s inevitable challenges, which the couple now face together.

 

Literary Devices:

Coleridge uses repetition, especially in the refrain “Row on, row on, for ever / I'd have thee by my side,” to create rhythm and reinforce emotional depth. Archaic expressions like “prithee” and “hither” lend the poem a timeless, fairy-tale quality. The natural imagery enhances the romantic atmosphere, while the metaphor of rowing reflects the forward motion of love and life.

 

Final Message:

The poem conveys that love, when sincere and reciprocated, becomes a source of lifelong companionship and joy. Even when life brings difficulties (“wind and weather”), love endures and provides comfort and strength. Coleridge portrays love as both a journey and a destination.

 

Possible Exam Questions

1.               Who is the speaker in Water Ballad, and what request does she make at the beginning of the poem?

2.               What does the repeated refrain “Row on, row on, for ever / I'd have thee by my side” suggest about the speaker’s feelings?

3.               What is the significance of the line “The boat became her home”?

4.               Why does the speaker hesitate to ask the boatman for his hand in marriage?

5.               Mention two poetic devices used by Coleridge in Water Ballad and explain their effect.

6.               What kind of journey is described in the poem, both literally and metaphorically?

7.               What role does nature play in the poem's imagery and atmosphere?

 

Long Answer Questions (6–10 marks)

1.               Discuss the theme of love and emotional transformation in Water Ballad.

2.               How does Coleridge use the journey across the stream as a metaphor for love and life?

3.               Describe the development of the speaker’s emotions from the beginning to the end of the poem.

4.               Examine the use of structure and repetition in the poem. How do these elements support its mood and meaning?

5.               Critically appreciate the poem Water Ballad as a lyrical expression of romantic longing and fulfillment.

6.               How does Coleridge create a musical and timeless quality in Water Ballad through language and tone?

 

Higher Order Thinking / Critical Appreciation (10+ marks)

1.               Coleridge’s Water Ballad presents love not as a moment but as a lifelong journey. Do you agree? Discuss with reference to the poem.

2.               Analyze the poem Water Ballad as a symbolic narrative where water becomes a medium of emotional transformation.

3.               Comment on the feminine perspective in the poem. How does the speaker’s voice reflect both vulnerability and strength?