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Burns
Robert Burns' poetry reflects a man very consciously aware of his contemporary, local world.
Burns was not, however, as he is sometimes portrayed, an unlettered peasant. He was familiar with the Bible, Shakespeare and the Spectator. Nevertheless, for copiousness and fertility of phrase and image, the nearest parallels to Burns's Scots language are colloquial Chaucerian and Elizabethan English. It was through this very personal manipulation of the language that he used his verse to reveal the complexity of life, and to display his shrewd insight into human nature and his cosmic, satiric appreciation of the Scottish community. Rooted in the local and particular, Burns' poetry rises above the parochial to present his unique vision – and criticism – of human life.
Burns was not, however, as he is sometimes portrayed, an unlettered peasant. He was familiar with the Bible, Shakespeare and the Spectator. Nevertheless, for copiousness and fertility of phrase and image, the nearest parallels to Burns's Scots language are colloquial Chaucerian and Elizabethan English. It was through this very personal manipulation of the language that he used his verse to reveal the complexity of life, and to display his shrewd insight into human nature and his cosmic, satiric appreciation of the Scottish community. Rooted in the local and particular, Burns' poetry rises above the parochial to present his unique vision – and criticism – of human life.
272 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1977
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About the author
Robert Burns
2,587 books352 followersRobert Burns (also known as Robin) was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language. He also wrote in English and a "light" Scots, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland.
He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism. A cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish Diaspora around the world, celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature.
As well as making original compositions, Burns collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His Auld Lang Syne is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and Scots Wha Hae has served as an unofficial national anthem. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well-known across the world today, include A Red, Red Rose, A Man's A Man for A' That, To a Louse, To a Mouse, The Battle of Sherramuir, Tam o' Shanter and Ae Fond Kiss.
He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism. A cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish Diaspora around the world, celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature.
As well as making original compositions, Burns collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His Auld Lang Syne is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and Scots Wha Hae has served as an unofficial national anthem. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well-known across the world today, include A Red, Red Rose, A Man's A Man for A' That, To a Louse, To a Mouse, The Battle of Sherramuir, Tam o' Shanter and Ae Fond Kiss.
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April 10, 2020
Burns is kind of a crystallization of what people seem to think of as poetry: rhyming, generally unintelligible, and often about a girl. As with most of the pretty-good poets, the ones you've read before are the ones most reading, especially the one about the mouse, the 'For A' That' one, and of course the magnificent Luve Like a Red Red Rose, which we should all memorize and shout at our children. The rest is more interesting historically, especially if you get an edition which puts its notes on the same page (for those of us who don't pretend to understand eighteenth century rural Scots songs, huh-- the Everyman edition bizarrely uses Riverside Shakespeare-style side notes for exactly one of Burns's poems, and leaves the rest up to the reader with the negligible help of a 'select glossary' at the end).
But also like the rest of the pretty good ones, there are some unexpected lines that jump right out at you and make you say oooh, or perhaps O.
Green grow the rashes, O
Green grow the rashes, O
The sweetest hours e'er I spent
Were spent among the lasses, O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44bhi...
But also like the rest of the pretty good ones, there are some unexpected lines that jump right out at you and make you say oooh, or perhaps O.
Green grow the rashes, O
Green grow the rashes, O
The sweetest hours e'er I spent
Were spent among the lasses, O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44bhi...
Displaying 1 of 1 review