Quick Facts
Birthday: January 25, 1759
Nationality: Scottish
Famous:
Quotes By Robert Burns
Poets
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Died At Age: 37
Born in: Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Famous as: Poet and Lyricist
Family:
Spouse/Ex-: Elizabeth Paton, Jean Armour
father: William Burnes
mother: Agnes Broun
siblings: Gilbert
children: Elizabeth Paton Burns
Died on: July 21, 1796
place of death: Dumfries, Scotland, United Kingdom
Robert Burns was a famous Scottish
poet and lyricist. Also known as Rabbie Burns, or Scotland's favorite
son, Burns is often credited as the national poet of Scotland and is the
best known Scottish language poet till date. Burns is also considered
as the pioneer of the Romantic Movement. He is also known to inspire the
founders of both liberalism and socialism. During 19th and 20th
centuries, celebration of his life and works became a national
charismatic cult, his influence being clearly visible in Scottish
literature. In a voting run by Scottish television channel STV in 2009,
Burns was voted as the greatest Scot. Apart from creating original
compositions, Burns also collected Scottish folk songs, revised and
adapted them. His song, “Auld Lang Syne” is often sung at Hogmanay and
other song, “Scots Wha Hae” served for long as the unofficial national
anthem of Scotland. His other notable poems include, “A Red, Red Rose”;
“A Man's A Man for A' That”; “To a Louse”; “To a Mouse”; “The Battle of
Sherramuir”; “Tam o' Shanter”, and “Ae Fond Kiss”.
Recommended Lists:
Scottish Men
Male Poets
Robert Burns Childhood & Early Life
Robert Burns was born on 25th January, 1759 in Alloway,
Ayrshire, Scotland. His father, William Burnes was a self educated
tenant farmer who married a local girl, Agnes Broun. Robert Burns was
the eldest of seven children to the couple. When Robert was seven years
old, his father sold their house and took tenancy of the 70-acre Mount
Oliphant farm, southeast of Alloway. Robert’s childhood days went in
poverty and hardship, which led to his weak constitution. He received
very limited regular schooling and was mainly taught by his father.
Burns learned reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history from
his father. From 1765 to 1768, he and his brother Gilbert were taught by
John Murdoch. John taught them Latin, French, and mathematics. For next
few years, he studied at home only. During the summer of 1772, Burns
was sent to Dalrymple Parish School. At the young age of 15, Robert was
the main laborer at Mount Oliphant. In the summer of 1775, he was sent
to Kirkoswald to finish his education. In 1777, his father shifted his
family from Mount Oliphant farm to the 130-acre farm at Lochlea, near
Tarbolton. In 1779, he joined a country dancing school and the following
year, formed the Tarbolton Bachelors' Club with his brother Gilbert. In
1781, Burns went to Irvine, North Ayrshire to learn to become a
flax-dresser. But shortly after the flax shop caught fire in New Year
celebrations, Robert had to return to Lochlea. His father died in 1784.
Later Life & Works
Robert and Gilbert tried hard to retain on the farm, but post its
failure, they moved to the farm at Mossgiel, near Mauchline. At the age
of 22, Robert was initiated into masonic Lodge St David Tarbolton. When
this lodge became inactive, he joined the Lodge St James Tarbolton
Kilwinning number 135. During the time period 1784-85, Robert Burns was
heavily involved in lodge business, attending meetings, passing and
raising brethren and usually running the lodge. Burns was in financial
crisis and took an offer from a friend to work in Jamaica, at a salary
of £30 per annum. However, he lacked the necessary funds required for
traveling to West Indies. Acting upon the advice given by his friend,
Gavin Hamilton, Burns sent proposals for publishing his “Scotch Poems”
to John Wilson, a local printer in Kilmarnock. On 31st July
1786, John published Robert’s works under the title, “Poems, Chiefly in
the Scottish dialect”. This book included his notable poems like “The
Twa Dogs”, “Address to the Deil”, “Halloween”, “The Cotter's Saturday
Night”, “To a Mouse”, “Epitaph for James Smith” and “To a Mountain
Daisy”. The immediate success of the book made him famous across the
country. In November 1786, Burns set out for Edinburgh where he sold the
rights of his book to William Creech. Burns was famous in the city and
was guest at many aristocratic gatherings.
During his stay in the city, Burns made many close friends. These
friends included the influential Lord Glencairn, and Frances Anna
Dunlop. For a brief time period, Burns was involved with Agnes 'Nancy'
McLehose, with whom he exchanged passionate letters. In Edinburgh, he
also befriended James Johnson who was a struggling music engraver. Burns
returned to Ayrshire on February 18, 1788 and hired the farm of
Ellisland near Dumfries. In 1789, he was appointed duties in Customs and
Excise. After working as an exciseman, Burns found it hard to go back
to farming and as such, gave it up in 1791. Meanwhile, Burns continued
creating significant literary works. In 1790, he wrote “Tam O' Shanter”.
As a lyricist, Burns made important contributions to Scottish music.
When he was requested to write lyrics for The Melodies of Scotland, he
made his contribution of over 100 songs. His also made remarkable
contributions to George Thomson's “A Select Collection of Original
Scottish Airs for the Voice” and James Johnson's “The Scots Musical
Museum”. He also collected and preserved old Scottish folk songs, some
of which he revised, adapted and expanded. One of these known
collections was “The Merry Muses of Caledonia”. Some of his famous
adapted folk songs are “Auld Lang Syne”, “A Red, Red Rose” and “The
Battle of Sherramuir”.
Personal Life
Burns had his first child, Elizabeth Paton Burns with his mother’s
servant Elizabeth Paton, while he was in relationship with Jean Armour,
who became pregnant with his twins in March 1786. Burns was ready to
marry Jean but her father was against the marriage. They, eventually,
got married in 1788. The couple had nine children, out of which only
three survived infancy. Meanwhile, he also fell in love with Mary
Campbell, whom he had met in the church while living Tarbolton. She
later sailed home to her parents in Campbeltown.
Death
Robert Burns died on July 21, 1796 in Dumfries at the age of 37. At
first, he was buried in the far corner of St. Michael's Churchyard in
Dumfries. He was finally moved to its final resting place in the same
cemetery, the Burns Mausoleum in September 1815.
Literary Style & Influence
Robert Burns’s poetry had the elements of classical, biblical, and
English literature, as well as the Scottish Makar tradition. He was
skilled in writing in both Scots language and Scottish English dialect.
The themes of his poetry generally included, republicanism, radicalism,
Scottish patriotism, anticlericalism, class inequalities, gender roles,
poverty and sexuality. Burns is often considered as proto-Romantic poet,
who influenced William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Percy
Bysshe Shelley.
Legacy
In Russia, Burns became popular as “people’s poet”. He was also
regarded as the symbol of ordinary Russian people. In 1956, Soviet Union
brought out commemorative stamps in his honor. Burns is pictured on the
£5 banknote (since 1971) of the Clydesdale Bank, which is one of the
Scottish banks with the right to issue banknotes. In 2009, the Royal
Mint issued a commemorative two pound coin featuring a quote from “Auld
Lang Syne”. Many Burns club have been founded worldwide. The first known
Burns club, The Mother Club, was founded in Greenock in 1801 by
merchants born in Ayrshire. His birthplace in Alloway has now become a
public museum, known as Burns Cottage, whereas his house in Dumfries is
operated as the Robert Burns House. The Robert Burns Centre in Dumfries
displays more exhibits about his life and works. Ellisland Farm in
Auldgirth, where he lived from 1788 to 1791, is now a museum and working
farm. Additionally, there are many organizations honoring him, which
include the Robert Burns Fellowship of the University of Otago in New
Zealand, and the Burns Club Atlanta in the United States. There are also
many towns named after him such as Burns, New York, and Burns, Oregon.
Also, there is a statue of Robert Burns in the Octagon in Dunedin, New
Zealand. Culturally, Scotland celebrates Burns Night, effectively a second national day, 25th
January every year with Burns suppers around the world. It is more
widely observed than the official national day, St. Andrew's Day.
ROBERT BURNS TIMELINE
1759: Was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland.
1772: Was sent to Dalrymple Parish School.
1775: Was sent to Kirkoswald to finish his education.
1777: His father shifted his family from Mount Oliphant farm to the 130-acre farm at Lochlea.
1779: Joined a country dancing school.
1781: Went to Irvine, North Ayrshire to learn to become a flax-dresser.
1784: His father died.
1786:
His poems were published under the title, Poems, Chiefly in the
Scottish dialect, set out for Edinburgh to sell the rights of his book.
1788: Returned to Ayrshire and hired the farm of Ellisland near Dumfries, married Jean Armour.
1789: Was appointed duties in Customs and Excise.
1790: Wrote his famous poem, Tam O' Shanter.
1796: He died in Dumfries at the age of 37.
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