Building Background

The Scottish HeroRobert Burns’ poetry flourished during a time when the English-controlled British government was trying to subdue Scottish patriotism by depriving Scots of civil liberties. Highlanders were forbidden firearms, could not wear their native tartans or play bagpipes, and were governed by Lowlanders loyal to England. Only Standard English was allowed to be taught in schools. As Samuel Johnson noted: “Their language is attacked on every side.”

The favorable reception of Burns’ Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect did much to restore a sense of pride to his fellow Scots, and Burnss later preservation of traditional Scottish songs raised him to the status of folk hero. He was seen by later generations as a protector of traditional Scottish language and an embodiment of the cultural identity of his people. Today, Scots the world over observe “Burns Night” on his birthday, January 25. Bagpipes play, traditional food and drink is enjoyed, and the words of Robert Burns help Scots commemorate their beloved homeland.

The Language of Burns’ PoetryBurns wrote his most celebrated poems in Lowland Scots, a dialect of English that had been spoken by most Scottish people since the 1300s. He also wrote poems in Standard English, but most of these are thought to lack the force and originality of his poems in Scots. When writing in Scots, Burns drew inspiration for much of his phrasing and verse technique from the golden age of Scottish poetry—written in the 1400s and

1500s. When writing in Standard English, on the other hand, he catered to the tastes of the day, which called for phrasing that soon seemed hackneyed and postures that soon seemed excessively sentimental or moralizing.

The “Ploughman Poet”Burns’ Scots poems reflect his familiarity with Scottish peasant

life as well as his deep connection with nature. Much of his poetry celebrates simple, often earthy, pleasures, such as love between two people. Other poems show his respect for the animals that lived around him. Burns is supposed to have composed “To a Mouse” after turning up a mouse’s nest while ploughing and saving the mouse from the spade of the boy who was holding the horses.

Literary analysis: dialect

Dialectis the distinct form of a language spoken in one geographic area or by a particular group. Writers use dialect for specific reasons, such as establishing setting or providing local flavor. In reaction to many in Scottish society and letters who were beginning to favor standard, or British, English, Burns chose to write in Scots, a northern dialect of English spoken primarily by Scottish peasants. The following lines in the Scots dialect contain a few words foreign to most readers’ ears, yet you can still discern Burns’s general meaning:

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;

What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!

Inspired by earlier Scottish poets, Burns found that using dialect enabled him to convey both the speech and the spirit of those who made up much of Scotland’s working class. This dedication to natural speech is one reason why Burns inspired later romantic poets such as William Wordsworth.

Reading strategy: clarify meaning

When reading a poem written in dialect, it is important to clarify meaningas you read. The following strategies can help you understand difficult passages in Burns’s poems:

• Some words are completely unique to a dialect; use the side notesto learn their definitions.

• Use context cluesto help you understand what the poet is saying or describing.

h AIh3zrPFAgAAnQUAAA4AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPAIAAGRycy9lMm9Eb2MueG1sUEsBAi0AFAAGAAgA AAAhAI4iCUK6AAAAIQEAABkAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALQUAAGRycy9fcmVscy9lMm9Eb2MueG1sLnJl bHNQSwECLQAUAAYACAAAACEA4A/6teAAAAALAQAADwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAeBgAAZHJzL2Rvd25y ZXYueG1sUEsBAi0AFAAGAAgAAAAhAMqXL1yoaQAARH8GABQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKwcAAGRycy9t ZWRpYS9pbWFnZTEuZW1mUEsFBgAAAAAGAAYAfAEAAAVxAAAAAA== "> • Burns uses apostrophes to indicate the rhythm of spoken Scots; reading the poem aloudcan help you better understand what Burns means.

Apply these strategies as you read the dialect in Burns’s poems. Use a chart like the one shown to try to paraphrase,or restate in your own words, any difficult passages you encounter.

To A Mouse

To A Louse

After Reading

Comprehension check: Recall and Interpret

1.Why does the speaker in “To a Mouse” apologize to the mouse?

2.What does the speaker in “To a Mouse” conclude in lines 43–48?

3.In lines 13–18 of “To a Louse,” where does the speaker suggest the louse go?

4.Why is the speaker surprised to see a louse on the lady’s bonnet?

Literary analysis: Evaluate and Connect

5. Clarify MeaningReview the passages you paraphrased as you read the poems. Which passages did you find especially challenging? Give reasons for your choices.

6. Identify ThemeReread lines 37–42 of To a Mouse. What observation about life does Burns convey in this stanza?

7. Interpret SatireTo a Louse is a satire,a literary work in which people’s behaviors or society’s institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of bringing about reform. What is Burns satirizing about Scottish society in this poem? Provide support from the poem for your answer.

8. Compare SpeakersThe speakers in both poems have very different attitudes toward the creatures they encounter. How would you characterize the speakers’ attitudes in To a Mouse and To a Louse?

9. Draw ConclusionsIn many of his poems, including To a Mouse and To a Louse, Burns makes use of commonplacesubjects to express larger statements about life. In your opinion, why might he have chosen to use commonplace subjects in his poems?

10. Analyze DialectThe Scots dialect Burns uses can be difficult to read at times, but he chose to employ it for specific effect. In what way does Burns’ use of dialect contribute to each of the following?

• setting

• theme

• tone

Literary Criticism

11. Biographical ContextWhen Robert Burns became famous after publishing his first volume of poetry, he did not object to those who considered him a “Heaven-taught plowman” who wrote spontaneously about his feelings for his native land. Yet Burns was an ambitious and well-read person who worked painstakingly on his poems, and he held political views that were radical for the time. Why might Burns have encouraged the public to think of him as a simple farmer instead of a sophisticated poet?

Reading Focus III: Selected Poetry by William Wordsworth

KEY IDEAWhen filled with the stresses and strains of everyday life, people sometimes visit a particular place to regain a sense of peace. A person may, for example, spend time in a church or temple, while others may seek out the comfort of a grandparent’s home. Still other individuals, like Wordsworth, find peace in nature.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 2492