"Sitting in the mud and telling dirty stories about poets" : Robert Burns and the modern Scottish Renaissance

Gallagher, Kevin Thomas (2018) "Sitting in the mud and telling dirty stories about poets" : Robert Burns and the modern Scottish Renaissance. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The Modernist period in Scotland is of immense interest to academics from a range of disciplines; from a literary perspective, it signals the coming together of the most iconic figure in Scottish literary history and a generation of confident, motivated and talented writers, keen on carving out a new path for Scottish literature. The reception of Robert Burns in the early twentieth century has been regarded as hostile and controversial in some quarters, yet beyond the headlines and slogans, there is a much more significant story to be told.
As the leader of the modern Scottish Renaissance, Hugh MacDiarmid is central to any discussion concerning this period, and his attitude to Burns has often been judged on soundbites rather than careful analysis. The same can be said of Edwin Muir and Burns: a single line from his entire corpus of work defines (for some) his thoughts on Burns, rather than an appreciation of his complete critical and creative output. This dissertation aims to address this myopic mindset, which pervades when it comes to discussing the relationship between Burns and these integral figures of Scottish literature.
Catherine Carswell and James Barke, as characters within the Burns afterlife story, are as, if not more, important than MacDiarmid and Muir, yet often their work is overlooked, or summarised (and ultimately dismissed) through one single word or phrase. This dissertation seeks to amend what is a grievous oversight in Burns scholarship by exploring their roles in the evolution of Burns’s legacy, as well as highlighting their importance as writers within the modern Scottish Renaissance.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General); P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN0080 Criticism
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies
• Supervisor's Name: McCue, Prof. Kirsteen and Brown, Dr. Rhona
• Date of Award: 2018
• Depositing User: Mr Kevin Gallagher
• Unique ID: glathesis:2018-9131
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 22 Jun 2018 10:37
• Last Modified: 24 Aug 2018 16:07
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/9131