Robert Burns

 Literature / Writers Datebook: January 25 

 

Scottish Poet, Famous for Auld Lang Syne and A Red, Red Rose  

 Brief biography and works of Scottish poet and tax collector, Robert Burns, national poet of Scotland.

 

Robert Burns is best-loved and celebrated as Scotland's national poet. His work, which was often in Scots dialect, rescued Scottish culture from being swamped by the growing influence of English culture. He is best-known for "Auld Lang Syne" and "A Red, Red Rose". 

Early Life of Robert Burns

Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 at Alloway in Ayrshire, western Scotland. His father was a poor farmer but did his best to give his sons a good education. In due time, Burns and his brother Gilbert set up as farmers but their rented land was poor. The brothers struggled to make a living.

Aside from writing poems, Burns charm set about wooing girls. He fathered several children by different women. He wanted to marry Jean Armour, one of his loves, but her parents disapproved of the relationship.

The Poetry of Burns 

As Burns's father was determined to give him an education, he studied Shakespeare, the Bible, Alexander Pope, and French language. Despite being taught the formal English poetry, Burns found that Scottish dialect was the ideal way to express himself and his rebellious attitude to the severe Scottish Church. 

Scottish folksinger Karen Matheson sings Robert Burns' "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose". Youtube, uploaded by DonniesAmerican. Accessed January 25, 2018.

The Poet's Adult Life   

When he was 27, Burns had many of his poems published as Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. The book was a great success, and he moved to Edinburgh for a year and a half. He also started mixing with high society. The success made Jean's parents relent, and Burns married her in 1788. He returned to farming but later gave it up in favour for a more secure job as an excise officer, a tax collector.

Later Years of Burns

Burns wrote nearly all his long narrative poems between 1784 and 1786. After that he took to writing the songs for which he is chiefly remembered, such as "A Red, Red Rose" and "Auld Lang Syne".

He wrote and edited hundreds of songs for collections before dying of heart disease at an early age. He died on July 21, 1796, at the age of 37. Aside a festival celebration to honour him, Burns's birthday is also celebrated in other countries. 

 

Works by Robert Burns

Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, 1786

The Works of Robert Burns, 1834-1886

Robert Burn's Commonplace Book, 1783-1785, 1938

 

Image Credit:

Robert Burns. Wikipedia CC / Public Domain

 

Resources:

Goring, Rosemary, Ed. Larousse Dictionary of Writers. New York: Larousse, 1994

McGovern, Una, Ed. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers, 2002

Ousby, Ian.  The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Robert Burns. en.wikipedia.org

 

(c) September 4, 2011. Updated January 25, 2018. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.