Robert Burns was an influential Scottish writer who connected with the people of Scotland. The four main things that influenced his poetry and songs were: his family which includes school, his farming work, the church as an institution and the common Scottish person’s life. This paper will show how these four things influenced his life and writing. For this writer, personally the influences on Robert Burns are interesting since he is my several times great-grandfather. Both my maternal grandfather`s family and my maternal grandmother`s family are from Ayrshire, Scotland, in the lowlands-the place where Burns was born and grew up.
Robert Burns (often called Robbie or Rabbie in Scotland) was “born on January 25, 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire he was the oldest son of seven children” (The Calgary Burns Club) In order to make a living the Burns family had to become farmers in order to bring in a larger salary to keep afloat. Back in that day and time the whole family had to work together to bring in wages. Robert Burns was the oldest of the family and so he had to work by his father’s side. Most of his poems were about the natural world, and was influenced heavily by the outdoor work. Henry Mackenzie described Burns as a “Heaven-taught ploughman.” (BBC News) But we must not forget that he was a working farmer for most of his life and he acquired his book learning through sheer determination in the midst of arduous physical toil.” (The Influences of Robert Burns) The Burns family struggled financially, however Robert Burns sill obtained an education in a time when not everyone was able to go to school and many common people could not even read or write. He joined John Murdoch grammar school at the age of six, and through his ...
... middle of paper ...
...oor way of life.
Works Cited
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.
"THE CALGARY BURNS CLUB - Home Page." THE CALGARY BURNS CLUB. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.
"Galeresearch.com." Galeresearch.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
“Hecht, Page 225 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Broun#cite_note-13”
"Holy Willie's Prayer." - a Poem by Robert Burns. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
"The Influences of Robert Burns." The Life Of Robert Burns. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
O’Hagan Andrew. “Robert Burns - The Peoples Poet.” Four. BBC. England. 25 Jan. 2009. Broadcast.
"Robert Burns, Analysis of To A Mouse." Robert Burns, Analysis of To A Mouse. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
"Robert Burns." Robert Burns. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
"Robert Burns." : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
(34)Robert Mendick, ‘Poets Protest as US Scholar Corners Clare’, Independent on Sunday, 16 July 2000. Online.
Brown, Raymond. A Crucified Christ in Holy Week: Essays on the Four Gospel Passion Narratives. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1986.
Strand, Mark and Evan Boland. The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms. New
Hey guys, welcome to poetry fest, on this show I like to not only entertain but also inform. I want my audience to walk away learning something. Throughout this show I will be discussing how poetry can be used as a form of social commentary to generate social change. Today’s poem is featured from 1893 written by Henry Lawson when he was 26 years old, Out Back employs a series of figurative language devices to walk us through the adversities of a shearers life, the poem also shows a fairly negative view of Australia’s natural landscape. This is to be linked to the idea that this poem is a form of social commentary.
Connock, Stephen, MBE. "The Life of Ralph Vaughan Williams." The Life of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Ralph Vaughan Williams Society, 19 Aug. 2001. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
Welcome back, if you have just tunned in this is our brand new segment ‘Burning Poetry’, where we strip down only the best poems of our history.
"Nathaniel Hawthorne - Biography." Nathaniel Hawthorne. The European Graduate School, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
In perspective, both of Robert Burns's poems, To a Mouse and To a Louse, have interesting messages, however these three are the ones that stood out to me. The dialect used by Burns adds a certain type of freshness to the readings and helps the reader have a fuller understanding of the text’s meanings. Comprehending these poems can give the readers a better idea of the messages trying to be conveyed by Robert Burns. Although these poems were written many centuries ago, their meanings are still relevant in today’s society and should be
Robert Burns is a poet that offers timeless, literary creations that merge his Scottish dialect and country lifestyle. He was born on the outskirts of Scotland, in a small town called Alloway. Although some people beg to differ when it comes to the extent of Burns’ education, he was well taught through his parent’s dedication to his education. In addition to his father teaching him, he was fully exposed to many literary characters, such as William Shakespeare and Joseph Addison while attending a one-room school house for a total of 3 consecutive years. He was initially inspired at the young age of 15, when he fell in love with his future wife, Jean Armour.(Scot Kilvert,78) Aw-struck by her beauty Burns stated, "Among her other love inspiring qualifications, she sung sweetly; and 'twas her favorite reel to which I attempted giving an embodied vehicle in rhyme." (Gale Research.) Burns continued to write and most of his poems were written in Scots and celebrated Scottish culture, expressions of farm life, and class and religious distinctions. Ultimately, Robert’s demise was cause from rheumatic heart disease, a direct cause of drinking. He passed on July 21, 1796 in Dumfries, at a young age of 37. During his short life he would aspire to great things. After his death, he would become legendary, or as some would say, immortal. His immortality runs deep in the veins of all Scots,
“Between 1784 and 1785, Burns wrote many of the poems collected in his first book, Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, which was printed in 1786, and paid for by subscriptions at the age of ” (Academy of American Authors). “This collection was so successful that it established Burns as Scotland’s national bard often referring to him as a great ‘peasant poet’”
Robert Burns was a man with little hope that overcame adversity and became Scotland’s most celebrated poet. Burns was born on January 25th, 1759 in Alloway, United Kingdom (Brown 33). He grew up near Southern Scotland, in the hilly countryside (“Robert”). Robert Burns received very limited education growing up. He often educated himself by reading English influenced literature. As the eldest of seven children, Robert Burns felt the responsibility to help his father with the struggling family farm (Cochran 177). When his father passed away he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he could pursue his actual dreams. Robert Burns then moved to Edinburgh in 1784 and began writing poetry.
Burns was born on January 25th, 1759 in Alloway, Scotland (Brown 1-3). Robert Burns did not live a easy and luxurious life as some would have guessed. Burns was born on his family’s farm and grew up to be a tenant farmer just as his father was (Robert Burns 1-5). Alike many kids during the 1700’s, Burns only attended school when he was able and or had too. Most of Burns education came from his mother encouraging him to read books (Robert Burns 1-5). Robert Burns read multiple pieces from Shakespeare, Milton and other famous writers in order to receive somewhat of an education (Robert Burns 1-5). Although Burns mother told him to read, it is plain to see that Robert Burns loved poetry. And would have picked up a story by shakespeare for his own pleasure. Robert Burns was the spawn of William and Agnes Brown Burns. Robert Burn’s parents had altogether seven children (Robert Burns Family History 1-2). Three daughters and four sons. Thus, meaning that the infamous romantic poet writer had three other brothers and three sisters. As Burns grew older, his father, William Burns, died in the year of 1784 (Robert Burns 1-5). Once Burn’s father died, Robert Burns was able to break away from his desolate future of a tenant farmer and was able to pursue his dream of becoming a well-known poet. However, on his way to becoming famous, Robert Burns had several illegitimate children (Robert Burns 1-5). Was his lust for
Rollison, Rob. "Introduction to Poetry, by Billy Collins." The Poetry Room. N.p., 05 June 2012. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Olsom, Ed F, and Kenneth M. Price. "About Walt Whitman." About Walt Whitman. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
There once lived a charming man who possessed many talents; this man was named Robert Browning. Robert was born on May 7th 1812 in a the quaint town of Camberwell, London. He was a very smart yet simple man. He was taught by his paren...