“The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

“The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson first appeared in 1885 as part of his renowned collection, A Child’s Garden of Verses. This charming poem, like many others in the collection, is characterized by its simplicity, rhythmic cadence, and vivid imagery. Stevenson captures the essence of a child’s wonder and fascination with the everyday world, using language that is both accessible and evocative. The poem’s focus on a seemingly mundane subject, a cow, is elevated through the use of playful rhyme and a gentle, affectionate tone. “The Cow” is a testament to Stevenson’s ability to find beauty and joy in the ordinary, a quality that has made his work enduringly popular with both children and adults.

Text: “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

The friendly cow all red and white, 
I love with all my heart: 
She gives me cream with all her might, 
To eat with apple-tart. 

She wanders lowing here and there, 
And yet she cannot stray, 
All in the pleasant open air, 
The pleasant light of day; 

And blown by all the winds that pass 
And wet with all the showers, 
She walks among the meadow grass 
And eats the meadow flowers. 

Annotations: “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Line	Annotation
The friendly cow all red and white,	Visual imagery of a typical, gentle cow, highlighting its colors.
I love with all my heart:	Expresses a deep affection for the cow, emphasizing sincerity.
She gives me cream with all her might,	Personifies the cow as generous, emphasizing her strength.
To eat with apple-tart.	Combines the imagery of cream with a sweet dessert.
She wanders lowing here and there,	Shows the cow moving leisurely with the sound of mooing.
And yet she cannot stray,	Implies restrictions despite her seeming freedom.
All in the pleasant open air,	Evokes a serene, open setting, possibly pastoral.
The pleasant light of day;	Emphasizes a light-hearted, tranquil daytime atmosphere.
And blown by all the winds that pass	The cow is affected by natural elements, symbolizing exposure.
And wet with all the showers,	Illustrates the cow enduring the elements.
She walks among the meadow grass	Depicts a natural, peaceful environment.
And eats the meadow flowers.	Symbolizes simplicity and finding sustenance in nature.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Literary/Poetic Device	Definition	Example from the Poem	Explanation
Alliteration	Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words	“friendly cow,” “wanders lowing,” “wet with”	Creates a musical effect and emphasizes certain words and phrases.
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines	“And” at the beginning of lines 7, 9, 11	Emphasizes the continuity of the cow’s experience and the elements she encounters.
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within words	“friendly cow,” “lowing here and there”	Adds to the poem’s musicality and creates a sense of harmony.
Consonance	Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words	“cannot stray,” “winds that pass”	Creates a subtle echo effect and adds to the poem’s texture.
End rhyme	Rhyme that occurs at the end of lines	“white” and “might,” “there” and “air”	Creates a sense of rhythm and musicality, making the poem pleasing to the ear.
Imagery	Use of descriptive language to create sensory experiences	“red and white,” “meadow grass,” “meadow flowers”	Helps the reader visualize the cow and her surroundings, making the poem more vivid and engaging.
Meter	The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry	The poem has a consistent meter, mostly iambic tetrameter	Gives the poem a regular rhythm, making it easy to read and remember.
Onomatopoeia	Words that imitate sounds	“lowing”	Helps the reader hear the sound the cow makes, making the poem more immersive.
Personification	Giving human qualities to non-human things	“The friendly cow”	Makes the cow seem more relatable and endearing to the reader.
Repetition	Repeating words or phrases for emphasis	“with all” (lines 2 and 4)	Emphasizes the speaker’s love for the cow and the abundance of cream she provides.
Rhyme scheme	The pattern of end rhymes in a poem	AABB CCDD EEFF	Creates a sense of order and predictability, making the poem easy to follow.
Symbolism	Use of objects or ideas to represent something else	The cow could symbolize nature’s bounty	Adds depth and meaning to the poem, inviting the reader to interpret it on a deeper level.

Themes: “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Appreciation for Nature’s Bounty: The poem celebrates the simple joys and gifts that nature provides. The cow, “all red and white,” is a symbol of abundance, offering her cream “with all her might.” This highlights the interconnectedness between humans and animals, and the appreciation for the sustenance that the natural world offers. The speaker’s love for the cow extends beyond mere utility; it’s a love born of gratitude for the simple pleasures of cream and apple-tart.
• Freedom within Boundaries: Though the cow is tethered and “cannot stray,” she enjoys a life of contentment and freedom within her defined space. She wanders “here and there” in the “pleasant open air,” symbolizing the idea that even within limitations, one can find joy and fulfillment. This theme resonates with the human experience of finding happiness within the confines of one’s circumstances.
• Resilience and Acceptance: The cow endures the elements, “blown by all the winds that pass and wet with all the showers.” Yet, she remains unfazed, continuing to graze and enjoy the meadow flowers. This speaks to the theme of resilience in the face of adversity and accepting the natural cycles of life. The cow’s ability to find pleasure despite the weather reflects a stoic acceptance of life’s challenges.
• Childlike Wonder and Simplicity: The poem captures a child’s perspective, filled with wonder and affection for the cow. The language is simple and direct, reflecting the innocence and uncomplicated joy of childhood. The repetition of “pleasant” and the focus on basic sensory experiences like eating cream and apple-tart highlight the child’s appreciation for the uncomplicated pleasures of life. The poem invites readers to reconnect with their own childlike wonder and find joy in the everyday world.

Literary Theories and “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Eco-Criticism: Eco-criticism is a useful lens for exploring Stevenson’s poem, particularly how it foregrounds the relationship between humans and nature. The depiction of the friendly cow all red and white and how She walks among the meadow grass emphasizes a harmonious interconnection with the natural world. This suggests a deeper commentary on human dependence on and affection for natural entities, challenging us to reconsider our interactions with the environment.
• New Criticism: This theory emphasizes close reading and the intrinsic features of the text. In “The Cow,” phrases like She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with apple-tart highlight the formal elements of rhythm and sound, enhancing the poem’s aesthetic appeal. The deliberate simplicity in the structure and diction captures a childlike perspective, enabling a focused analysis of the text’s inherent unity and artistic merit.
• Feminist Literary Criticism: Although not immediately apparent, a feminist reading might interpret the cow’s portrayal as a reflection on femininity and nurture. The lines I love with all my heart: She gives me cream with all her might could be seen as valorizing the nurturing role, traditionally associated with femininity. This perspective might argue that the poem subtly critiques how female nurturing roles are idealized and romanticized, yet confined and undervalued (‘And yet she cannot stray’).

Critical Questions about “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

• How does the poem’s simple language and structure contribute to its appeal for children?
• The use of basic vocabulary, short lines, and a consistent rhyme scheme (AABB) make the poem easily accessible for young readers. The repetition of words like “pleasant” and “all” reinforces key ideas and creates a soothing rhythm that is both engaging and memorable. The poem’s focus on concrete sensory details like “red and white,” “cream,” and “apple-tart” appeals to a child’s immediate experience and imagination.
• In what ways does the poem idealize or romanticize the life of a cow?
• The poem portrays the cow’s life as idyllic and carefree. The cow wanders freely in “pleasant open air” and “pleasant light of day,” seemingly unburdened by the realities of farm life or potential hardships. The poem emphasizes the cow’s positive contributions (providing cream) while omitting any reference to less pleasant aspects of its existence. This idealized depiction could be seen as a reflection of a child’s innocent perspective, or as a deliberate choice by Stevenson to evoke a sense of nostalgia and simplicity.
• To what extent does the poem reflect broader themes about nature and the human relationship with animals?
• The poem suggests a harmonious relationship between humans and nature, emphasizing the cow’s role as a provider and companion. The speaker’s affectionate tone towards the cow (“I love with all my heart”) hints at a deeper connection than mere utility. However, the poem also reinforces the traditional hierarchy between humans and animals, with the cow’s freedom limited by a tether. This raises questions about the extent to which the poem truly celebrates the natural world or simply reinforces anthropocentric views.
• What deeper meanings might be found in the poem’s seemingly simple imagery and language?
• While the poem appears straightforward on the surface, some images and phrases could be interpreted symbolically. The cow’s color, “red and white,” might represent a duality or balance within nature. The repetition of “all” could suggest the cow’s connection to the universal or the all-encompassing nature of life’s experiences. The cow’s wandering within boundaries could be a metaphor for the human condition, highlighting the limitations and freedoms inherent in existence.

Literary Works Similar to “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

1. “The Lamb” by William Blake: This poem shares a theme of innocence and nature, depicting a lamb as a gentle and pure creature in a manner similar to Stevenson’s affectionate portrayal of the cow.
2. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost: Both poems convey a deep appreciation for nature, capturing peaceful and contemplative moments in natural settings.
3. “Fern Hill” by Dylan Thomas: Like “The Cow,” Thomas’s poem reminisces on the joys of youth and the natural world, evoking a sense of nostalgia and blissful ignorance of life’s realities.
4. “The Pasture” by Robert Frost: This poem, similar to “The Cow,” invites the reader into a pastoral scene that emphasizes simplicity and the soothing aspects of rural life.
5. “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth: Both poems celebrate the beauty of the natural landscape, with Wordsworth’s daffodils and Stevenson’s cow enhancing the human connection to nature through vivid imagery and emotional depth.

Suggested Readings: “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

1. Stevenson, Robert Louis. A Child’s Garden of Verses. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1885.
2. Hunt, Peter. Literature for Children. Routledge, 2008.
3. “Robert Louis Stevenson.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Louis-Stevenson.

Representative Quotations of “The Cow” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Quotation	Context and Theoretical Perspective
The friendly cow all red and white,	The poem opens with this line, setting a visual and amiable tone that introduces the cow as a central figure. Eco-Criticism highlights the intimate, positive human-animal relationship depicted.
I love with all my heart:	This line reveals the speaker’s deep emotional attachment to the cow. Psychoanalytic Criticism might explore this as an expression of the childlike attachment and its deeper emotional significance.
She gives me cream with all her might,	Emphasizes the cow’s generous and nurturing nature. Feminist Literary Criticism can interpret this as a reflection on the traditional roles of females as nurturers in society.
And yet she cannot stray,	This line introduces a limitation to the cow’s freedom, despite the idyllic setting. Marxist Criticism could examine this as a metaphor for the working class’s restrictions under capitalism.
And eats the meadow flowers.	Closing the poem, this line symbolizes simplicity and contentment in nature. Eco-Criticism would view this as celebrating the symbiotic relationship between the cow and its environment.