I .. r I’n~t n
’./-T
. . (I)
' / .04 1
Bard ta
The inauguration of Robert Burns as Poet Laureate at the Lodge, (courtesy of the National Galleries of Scotland)
Robert Crawford is Professor of Modern Scottish Literature at St Andrews University. Here he describes his experiences of writing his new biography of Robert Burns. Interview by Doug Johnstone
‘ ne ol‘ my friends said to me that a new biography of Burns is the least necessary book in the world. btrt
actually qtrite a lot of the pr‘eyious biographies aren‘t up to scratch. either because they aren‘t all that well written or they didn‘t haye rmrch new in them.
I admit I didn‘t particularly like Burns when l was wee. we did it at school and I felt I was being force-led my own Scottish identity. When I lived outside Scotland I changed my mind about him. partly because I was forced to think about what it meant to be Scottish. and Burns was part of that.
I love the botrnding between the Vernacular and the qtrite ambitious high culture that‘s in his work. and I love that democratic impulse of his. although I became aware as I wrote The Bard he neyer uses the word democracy in his poetry. so it‘s a matter of tone. really.
The way he addresses a creature. a Villager. a friend. a king. there‘s something immediate there and that's wonderful. lie was the lirst poet in English-speaking culture to strike that note. and that‘s one of. the things that gives him a continuing importance not just in Scotland but round the world. That‘s why Americans take to him so readily.
He's hard to pin down but the danger is that people say he's all things to all people. which makes him seem bland. llis poetry is far from bland. politically there‘s a dangerous radical edge there and I wanted to make the case for his radicalism.
There’s been so much Burns lore generated throughout the last two centuries. like a dry ice machine pumping it out. I wanted to get behind all that. go back to his poems. songs and letters. There‘s a tremendous assurance and joy in there. it was important for me to get back to his own
words and as far as possible to the words ol‘
people who met him.
His politics and humanity make him yital today. as well as his sheer skill. He was very skilled in the way he handled standard forms and more complicated stanzas; there‘s a tremendous
18 THE LIST 22 Jan-z" Feb 2008“
sense of writerly technique which came from his
reading and listening. He was a kind of.
crossroads he l'used rural and textual
influences. low and high culture.
Burns definitely had quite a strong sense of
himself as a poet of his community and his nation. and he played with that notion. it was something deeply important to him. He connected with people. and his poems still collect people together. They‘re often used in Scotland and other communities to get people to think about what it means to be together. and to haye l‘un together too. ol'cour‘se.
There‘s always a danger with a great national figure like Burns. all sorts of people will want a piece of the action. It's fair enough to haye Homecoming eyents. but ultimately what matters about Burns is the poetry. it's that more than anything else that makes us remember him. That certainly shouldn‘t be forgotten amidst all the junketing and ra//.arnata//.
l heard a great word recently. ‘Burnsamentalist‘: guys who know eyer'ything about him but haye no interest in poetry beyond him. and I‘m suspicious of that. so I wanted to connect Burns with contemporary Scotland. I think he'd laugh at all this l’uss oyei' him. He played with ideas ol’ celebrity. and he had a line sense of sell-mockery. But to be fair to Burns cltrbs. he loved being a member of' drinking and literary clubs. and the kind of celebration that‘s gone on since he died is true to his spirit.
I think he would recognise the cultural landscape in Scotland l]()\\'. economics. politics and national identity. There are all differences but he'd still recognise it as the country he grew up in.‘
y. is: an R rirrr‘uril‘
The Bard, is out now, published by Jonathan Cape.
issues of
kinds of
HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS
Scotland is calling everyone back for a homecoming and. Without any sort of Scottish versron Of the Bat Signal in Slglll. the country is hosting events throughout the year to get everyone celebrating therr roots to coincide With Robert Burns' 250th anniversary The Changing Nation (Jan—Nov) gallery at the National Museum will Show how far the (Ibuntry has come in the last 100 years before Scottish Music Abroad lb Mar-23 May) reveals the influence of Scottish muSic throughout the Commonwealth, something This Is Who We Are lJanNovl hopes to do wrth photos. showrng that being Scottish isn't merely abOut location. Alter that you might need a brief rest. a perfect time for the Whisky month to kick off (May). wrth the Industry throwrng its doors Open to celebrate the national tipple. After a
month on the whisky. Scotland's National Youth Performing Arts company's re-telling of Tam O’Shanter (Sep) might lead you to mend yOur ways. although that depends on your Views on the famous poem. With the sun hopefully shining down. The Gathering (25-26 Jul) will see Holyrood Park host Highland Games before a clan members parade up the Royal Mile. something which organisers say Edinburgh won't have seen since Sir Walter Scott‘s Royal Pageant in 1822. which was top notch. if I remember. To cap it all there's the Grand Final Weekend (28-30 Nov). a major celebration of all Scottish music. from folk artists to cutting edge contemporary bands. to bring the year to a close. For more information check out www.homecommgscotlandQOOQ.com (John Johnston)
ears» ' 3‘ 3;.