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30 INTRODUCING SC O TLAND A POR TR AIT OF SC O TLAND 31
Writers and Intellectuals of a Justified Sinner (1824).
Following Susan Ferrier and
From medieval poets through Robert Burns to Irvine Welsh, John Galt, standards were
writers in the three literary languages of Scotland – Scots, modest, des pite the prodigious
English and Gaelic – have created a body of literature career of Margaret Oliphant.
expressing both their place in the European mainstream and Thomas Carlyle noted the
provinciality of Edinburgh in
the diversity within Scotland. In 1999, a new parliament was the 1830s.
established in Scotland, three centuries after the dissolution A later response to anxieties of
of the last one. Political devolution followed three decades the age came from Robert Louis
of ferment in which literature reached new heights of success. Stevenson (1850–94) in Dr Jekyll
and Mr Hyde. This contrasted
with the senti mentality of home-
economy, and Adam Ferguson Robert Burns encircled by images of his spun or so-called kailyard
The Golden Age Before (1723–1816), who founded literary creations (literally “cabbage patch”) fiction,
Enlightenment modern sociology. Other led by JM Barrie and SR Crockett.
Often regarded as the golden prominent figures were The 19th Century Barrie’s dramas often catered for Arthur Conan Doyle’s sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, in The Graphic (1901)
age of Scottish literature, the William Robertson (1721– 93) bourgeois tastes, as did the
century leading up to the and David Hume (1711–76), Despite the importance Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur William Soutar. Fiction reached of Miss Jean Brodie, 1961). Urban
Reformation of 1560 was both of whom helped to of Edinburgh in British culture, Conan Doyle (1859–1930), epic and inno vative realism devel oped quietly
characterized by strong define modern history. it was the pattern of leaving which endure today. proportions with Neil Gunn before William MacIlvanney’s
links with the Hume’s greatest Scotland to achieve fame in (Butcher’s Broom, 1933) and break through with The Big
Continent and a rich legacy was in London, initiated in the mid Lewis Grassic Gibbon (A Scots Man (1985).
tradition of poetry, philosophy – his 18th century by James Boswell Quair, 1932–4). Others Following Alasdair Gray’s
culmi nating in the rigorous empiricism and Tobias Smollett, that included Willa Muir, Nan bizarre Lanark (1981), a power-
achievements of offen ded Christian would predom inate in the Shepherd and Fionn MacColla. ful wave propelled fiction into
William Dunbar and ortho doxy and Victorian period. John Buchan attempted ser- the highly productive present,
Robert Henry son. foretold crises of The poetry of Walter Scott i ous work and popular in which Iain Banks remains a
John Barbour faith versus scientific (1771–1832) enjoyed phen om thrillers. Nationalist impetus best seller (The Crow Road, 1992).
established the mythic knowledge. James enal success. His novels, was dis sipated by the rise of Tom Leonard’s poems initiated
heroism of the nation Philosopher Macpherson especially Waverley (1814), rose fascism, and new directions a tradition using urban demotic
al hero in The Bruce David Hume published the Ossian to greater glory. Francis were sought after World War II. speech. James Kelman elevated
(c.1375). Other early Chronicles in 1760, Jeffrey’s Whigorientated this to new levels with How Late
works were James I’s Kingis supposed ly the Edinburgh Review led opinion, It Was, How Late (1994).
Quair (c.1424) and Blind Harry’s documentation of his challenged by Blackwood’s Tory Post-1945 Irvine Welsh’s portrayal of
Wallace (c.1478). discovery of an old Celtic alternative. James Hogg was Sorley Maclean wrote in drug culture is world famous,
Dunbar rose to preeminence tra dition in the Hebrides. This published by the latter before his native Gaelic of the ancient though the energy of Train
for his polished art, from fictional work tapped a writing his startling, gothic Highland culture’s plight. spotting (1993) is absent from its
Lament for the Makars (1508), nostalgia for anci ent Private Memoirs and Confessions Norman MacCaig began a successors. The private drama of
an elegy to poets, to his insult civilizations and, allied to Poster for the film Rob Roy (1995), based career characterized by AL Kennedy’s stories is poignant
poetry known as “flyting”. fears about progress, on Walter Scott’s 1817 novel metaphysical whimsy, and and mys terious (So I Am Glad,
Henryson’s work is rich in romanti cism was born. George Bruce and Robert 1995), while Ian Rankin’s thrillers
insight, as in The Testa ment of Allan Ramsay wrote Early 20th-century Garioch evoked the strictures receive inter national acclaim, as
Cresseid (c.1480), which tells poems in Scots, as did of nature and social class. do JK Rowling’s hugely success-
the legend from the woman’s the tragic Robert Fergus Renaissance Edwin Morgan has celebra ted ful Harry Potter books, famously
point of view. Gavin Douglas son, who died in poverty George Douglas Brown’s fierce art and modernity (Sonnets written in The Elephant House
translated Virgil’s Aeneid into aged 25. anti-kailyard novel, The House from Scotland, 1984), Liz Loch- café in Edinburgh, an eatery
Scots in 1513. The golden age The country’s most with the Green Shutters (1901), head continues to produce also frequented by Alexander
ended with Sir David Lindsay’s fêted literary figure, opened the century and fresh drama and poetry, and McCall Smith, author of The No.1
muchrevived play, A Satire of Robert Burns (1759– serious art was reborn. Hugh Jackie Kay explores the Ladies’ Detective Agency.
the Three Estates, in 1540. 96), was a man of his MacDiarmid’s poetry in the experience of being
time. His popular 1920s carried literature into a black Scottish
“heaven taught the stream of modernism. A citizen. While James
Enlightenment and ploughman” image Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle Bridie, Bill Bryden
Romanticism belied a sound (1926) combines disparate and John Byrne
The intellectual triumphs of the education. His works Scottish dialects with political made an impact in
Enlightenment in Scot land ranged from love lyrics and social commentary in one the theatre, Muriel
were fuelled by the expanding to savage satire (Holy of the century’s great Spark rose to
educational system. Among Willie’s Prayer), symbolist works. Edwin Muir interna tional
the great thinkers of the time nationalism to radi cal also won international acclaim for her
were Adam Smith (1723–90), ideals (A Man’s a Man for Map of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, acclaim. Succes sors included blackly comic
who theorized on political a’ That). based on an island in the Firth of Forth Sidney Goodsir Smith and novels (The Prime Poster for the film version of Irvine Welsh’s novel
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