Welcome to Poem of the Day – Bed in Summer by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Bed in Summer is a delightful yet poignant exploration of a child’s perspective on the contrast between the seasons, particularly the difference between the freedom and joy of summer days and the limitations imposed by societal norms. Through a simple but evocative narrative, Stevenson conveys the discontent of a child who is forced to follow adult routines that seem at odds with the natural world. The poem captures the tension between childhood desires for play and the constraints of time and authority. This essay will examine the poem’s central themes, literary techniques, and the ways in which Stevenson uses the structure and language to express the frustrations and delights of childhood.
Bed in Summer
In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me in the street.
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?
Bed in Summer Explanation
1. The Contrast Between Winter and Summer
The poem opens with the speaker’s reflection on the difference between their routines in winter and summer. The first line states, “In winter I get up at night,” which immediately establishes a sense of darkness and coldness, a time when the world is still and people are generally asleep. The speaker dresses by “yellow candle-light,” an image that conjures warmth and quiet, suggesting a time of day when children are often not expected to be awake, aligning with the winter season’s shorter days and longer nights.
In contrast, summer brings a shift in the natural environment and, consequently, in the child’s routine. The line “In summer, quite the other way” sets up a stark difference. While winter is a time of rest and stillness, summer offers long daylight hours, and the child’s natural instinct is to be awake and active. However, the speaker faces an ironic and frustrating situation: “I have to go to bed by day.” This line establishes the central conflict of the poem: the child’s desire to stay up and engage with the world around them is thwarted by the conventional schedule dictated by adults.
2. The Child’s Desire for Freedom and Play
The poem continues by describing the speaker’s experience of being put to bed while the world is still lively. “I have to go to bed and see / The birds still hopping on the tree,” the speaker laments, which emphasizes the disconnection the child feels between their own internal clock and the natural world. While the birds are still active in the trees, the child is confined to bed, a prisoner of societal expectations rather than being allowed to participate in the life of the outdoors. The choice of birds, often symbols of freedom and movement, heightens the sense of frustration.
Furthermore, the poem highlights the contrast between the natural world and the child’s restricted position. The speaker hears “the grown-up people’s feet / Still going past me in the street.” This imagery reinforces the notion of movement and activity, emphasizing that the world outside continues to pulse with life while the child is restricted to a place of stillness. There is a sense of alienation here: the child is not part of the bustling world, but is instead relegated to a space of quiet dormancy, unable to partake in the vitality of life outside.
3. The Injustice of Forced Rest
The tone of the poem deepens as the speaker questions the logic behind being forced to go to bed while the world is still bright and lively. The question, “And does it not seem hard to you,” signals a shift from simple observation to a more personal plea. The speaker is not just describing the situation but expressing their frustration. The innocence of childhood is evident here—there is no understanding of why society imposes such rules when the child’s natural impulses are to play and explore. The speaker’s discontent is compounded by the juxtaposition of the “clear and blue” sky with the mandate to go to bed. This contrast between the external beauty of the day and the internal confinement of the bed underscores the speaker’s sense of injustice.
Stevenson’s use of “And I should like so much to play” further emphasizes the child’s yearning for freedom. The word “should” expresses a sense of inevitability and longing, implying that the child is being denied something essential to their happiness and development. The juxtaposition of the child’s natural instinct to play with the reality of the rules they must follow creates a sense of frustration and yearning for a more carefree existence.
4. The Poem’s Structure and Rhythm
The poem’s structure and rhythm also contribute to its thematic content. The alternating stanzas of four lines each maintain a regular rhythm and rhyme scheme (ABCB). This rhythmic consistency mirrors the child’s need for structure and order, as they are bound by routines that they cannot escape. However, the simplicity of the language and the repetitive structure of the stanzas also give the poem a childlike quality, reinforcing the perspective of a young speaker who sees the world in clear and direct terms. The repetitive phrasing of “I have to go to bed” and “the tide rises, the tide falls” creates a rhythmic sense of resignation, as if the speaker has come to terms with the necessity of following the adult rules, even though they are dissatisfied with them.
5. Themes of Childhood and Nature
At its core, Bed in Summer is a poem about the way children relate to the natural world and the restrictions imposed upon them by societal structures. The poem suggests a tension between the child’s natural rhythms—those governed by the changing seasons—and the rigid schedules of adult society. The child’s desire to play and explore is symbolized by the clear, blue sky and the lively birds, while the forced sleep represents the world of responsibility and order that the child cannot yet understand or accept.
The poem also touches on the broader theme of time. The child is aware that summer days are fleeting, and the paradox is that the longer daylight hours, meant to encourage freedom, are instead constrained by the need to sleep early. This tension between the natural world and social expectations underscores the process of growing up, where one’s inherent desires are often tempered by the rules and routines of adulthood.
Conclusion
In Bed in Summer, Robert Louis Stevenson offers a glimpse into the mind of a child experiencing the frustration of being bound by time and societal expectations. The poem’s themes of longing for freedom, the contrast between the natural world and adult-imposed routines, and the innocent plea for fairness create a poignant commentary on the limitations of childhood. Through simple yet evocative language, Stevenson conveys a universal feeling that many can relate to: the desire to break free from imposed constraints and experience the world on one’s own terms. Ultimately, the poem serves as a reminder of the purity and intensity of a child’s perspective, capturing the frustration of being in a world where the rules often conflict with one’s natural inclinations.
