ROBERT BURNSIngrid Kauler, 11 B

ROBERT BURNS 1759-1796

Was born into a farming family

Alloway in Ayrshire Died in Dumfries at

the early age of 37 Took the Scottish

literary world by storm

Secured a place for himself in history and in legend The best-known portrait of Burns

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite

son, The Ploughman

Poet, Robden of Solway

Firth, The Bard of Ayrshire In Scotland as

simply The BardThe statue of Robert Burns erected by Clement Wilson

at Eglinton Country Park, North Ayrshire

FAMILY BACKGROUND

William Burnes - the poet's father – was a gardener

He married Agnes Brown

Their eldest child, Robert, was born on 25 January 1759

Burns Cottage in Alloway, Scotland

THE EARLY YEARS

Burns spent his first seven years at Alloway

Mount Oliphant farm In 1777 the family

moved to Lochlea farm He attended a local

school When he was about 15

he first turned his hand to poetry

Became a freemason of St David's Lodge, Tarbolton, in 1781.

Inside the Burns Cottage Museum in Alloway

EARLY MANHOOD

Remained at Lochlea until his father's death in 1784

The family moved to Mossgiel farm

The years 1784 to 1785 were one of Burns's most prolific periods

He wrote such well-known poems as 'Holy Willie's Prayer', 'To A Mouse', 'The Jolly Beggars'and 'The Holy Fair'

The poet's introduction to 'Holy Willie's Prayer

ROBERT BURNS

Burns had farming and personal difficulties

Mossgiel was not profitable Jean Armour Wanted to emigrate and sail for

Jamaica Gavin Hamilton - a local lawyer Financing the voyage The 'Kilmarnock edition' Printed by John Wilson of

Kilmarnock in July 1786 Burns's Poems, chiefly in the

Scottish dialect Cost three shillings 612 copies sold out within a

month

EDINBURGH

For the next 18 months he stayed frequently in Edinburgh

Mrs Agnes McLehose Pseudonyms 'Clarinda'

and 'Sylvander' One of the most famous

examples of stylised romantic letter-writing

Ae fond kiss, 1791

Engraving of Clarinda

TRAVELS AND MUSIC

May 1787 the Borders and central Scotland

and the Highlands In 1787 - became involved in a

project James Johnson Began to collect and publish the

words and music of all Scottish songs.

The Scots Musical Museum in 1787

Six volumes of 100 songs each. George Thomson in publishing 'classical' arrangements of

Scottish folk-songs A Select Collection of Original

Scottish Airs was issued in 1793.

TAM O’SHANTER

One of the greatest narrative poems in the language,

Captain Grose's drawing of Alloway Kirk in his collection Antiquities of Scotland

Folklore of witchcraft which he learned from his childhood nurse, Betty Davidson

'Warlocks and witches in a dance;Nae cotillion brent new frae France,But hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys, and reels,Put life and mettle in their heels.A winnock-bunker in the east,There sat auld Nick, in shape o' beast;A towzie tyke, black, grim and large,To gie them music was his charge:He screw'd the pipes and gart them skirl,Till roof and rafters a' did dirl.'

FINAL YEARS

Spent the final years of his life in Dumfriesshire

Farm at Ellisland Failing health Overshadowed his

literary and musical output

Long-standing heart condition

Premature death at the age of 37 on 21 July 1796.

Youngest son Maxwell

Ellisland farm in the time of Robert Burns

LEGACY

J. S. Blackie summed up Burns's importance to Scotland and the Scots with the words:

'When Scotland forgets Burns, then history will forget Scotland.'

The fruits of his legacy can be seen not only in Scotland but around the world - on product packaging, in advertising and on a wealth of merchandise, as well as through continued scholarship and academic study.

Robert Burns Mausoleum at St. Michael's churchyard in Dumfries

ROBERT BURNS

Monument in Tallinn, The Scottish Club Burns by Alexander Nasmyth, 1787

SOURCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns

http://www.robertburns.org/works/ http://digital.nls.uk/burns/index.htm http://www.electricscotland.com/

burns/burns_youth.htm http://www.robertburns.org.uk/ http://www.tiiukirsipuu.com/tells/

Robert.htm

THANK YOU!