Selected Poems and Songs
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Author Description
'The Poetic Genius of my Country...bade me sing the loves, the joys, the rural scenes and rural pleasures of my natal Soil, in my native tongue.'Many of the poems and songs of Robert Burns (1759-96) are familiar to readers the world over: lyrical, acerbic, comic, bawdy, democratic. They include 'To a Mouse', 'John Anderson my Jo', 'A red red Rose', 'Auld lang syne', 'Tam o 'Shanter' and many more, whose vernacular energy and simple beauty have ensured lasting popularity.This generous new selection offers Burns's work as it was first encountered by contemporary readers, presenting the texts in the contexts in which they were originally published. It reproduces the whole of Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect published at Kilmarnock in 1786, the volume which made Burns famous; and it reunites a generous selection of songs from The Scots Musical Museum and A Select Collection of Scottish Airs with their full scores. Comprehensive notes describe the circumstances in which other poems and songs found their way into print, both before and after the poet's death. The edition also includes some important letters, and a full glossary to explain Scots words.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
The central conflict involves the poet's struggle to capture the authentic spirit, vernacular, and social realities of 18th-century Scotland through lyrical verse and song. Robert Burns navigates the tension between rural tradition and the evolving literary landscape of his time, aiming to preserve the dialect and cultural identity of his homeland. His work functions as a bridge between the oral folk tradition and the formal written word, often challenging the rigid social hierarchies of the era. The narrative framework is presented as a collection of original texts, letters, and musical scores that document the poet's creative evolution and public reception.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Inclusion of the complete 1786 Kilmarnock edition of Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect.
- Integration of songs from The Scots Musical Museum and A Select Collection of Scottish Airs.
- Inclusion of original musical scores for the featured songs.
- Comprehensive editorial notes detailing the historical context of each piece.
- A full glossary provided to translate and explain Scots vernacular terms.
- Selection of personal letters providing insight into the poet's life and correspondence.
- Chronological arrangement reflecting the poet's rise to fame.
- Scholarly introduction by Robert P. Irvine analyzing the poet's cultural impact.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Readers frequently highlight the accessibility of this edition, noting that the inclusion of a glossary makes the Scots dialect approachable for modern audiences. Discussion often centers on the balance between the poet's famous lyrical ballads and his more acerbic, politically charged social commentary. Critics emphasize the value of presenting the poems in their original publication contexts, which allows for a deeper understanding of how Burns was perceived by his contemporaries. The collection is widely regarded as a standard reference for those interested in the intersection of folk music and 18th-century literature.
Page Count:
512
Publication Date:
2013-04-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199603928
ISBN-13:
9780199603923
Poetry
Classics
Songs
Scottish literature
Anthology
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