Bob now resolves

Song Meaning

These four lines capture a swift, decisive moment: Bob's sudden resolution to marry, met with an equally abrupt and stark piece of counsel. The opening paints a picture of quick, almost aggressive intent, as Bob "resolves on marriage schemes to trample" and plans to "have a wife all in a trice." It's a portrait of impulsiveness, a headlong rush into a significant life change. Immediately, the perspective shifts, and a speaker interjects with a sharp, almost exasperated warning. The central tension here is the clash between Bob's hasty determination and the speaker's urgent, experience-laden advice. The word "trample" hints at a lack of careful consideration on Bob's part, making the ensuing caution feel all the more necessary. The most striking craft element is the speaker's grounding of their advice in a cryptic yet potent reference: "Pursue thy dad's example / And marry not." This isn't just a casual opinion; it's a command rooted in a past, presumably negative, experience with marriage. The unspecified nature of the "dad's example" allows the reader to infer a history of disillusionment, making the speaker's blunt "marry not" resonate with a deeper, inherited wisdom—or perhaps, inherited pain. The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their conciseness and dramatic contrast. The rapid setup of Bob's intent followed by the speaker's forceful, almost ancient-sounding warning creates a memorable, cautionary vignette. The specific word choices and the implied backstory behind the "dad's example" make this short exchange feel weighty, suggesting that some lessons about marriage are timeless and hard-won.