Scottish literature facts for kids
Scottish literature includes all the amazing stories, poems, and plays written in Scotland or by Scottish writers. These works can be in many languages, like English, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Brythonic, French, Latin, or Norn.
The very first writings from what is now Scotland were in Brythonic language around the 500s. Later, people wrote in Latin, influenced by the Church, and in Old English, brought by settlers. As the kingdom of Scotland grew, writers created texts in both Gaelic and Latin.
After the 1200s, French literature became popular. Norse literature also appeared in areas settled by Vikings. The first major work in Early Scots was Brus by John Barbour in the 1300s. This epic poem told the story of Robert the Bruce.
In the early modern period, Scottish kings supported writers. King James V's court saw plays like The Thrie Estaitis by Sir David Lindsay. Later, King James VI was part of a group of poets called the Castalian Band. When he became King of England in 1603, many writers moved with him. This caused Scots poetry to slow down for a while.
The 1700s brought a revival with writers like Allan Ramsay and James Macpherson. Macpherson's Ossian poems became famous worldwide. They inspired Robert Burns, often called Scotland's national poet. Walter Scott's Waverley Novels in the 1800s helped shape what it meant to be Scottish. Later in the 1800s, authors like Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J. M. Barrie, and George MacDonald became internationally known.
The 1900s saw a burst of creativity called the Scottish Renaissance. Hugh MacDiarmid tried to bring the Scots language back for serious literature. After World War II, new poets like Edwin Morgan emerged. Morgan became the first official Scots Makar (national poet) in 2004. From the 1980s, Scottish literature had another big comeback. Writers like James Kelman and Irvine Welsh became very popular. Poets like Carol Ann Duffy also gained fame. Duffy was the first Scot to be named UK Poet Laureate in 2009.
Contents
Ancient and Medieval Scottish Literature
Early Writings (500s-1000s)
After the Roman Empire left Britain in the 400s, four main groups lived in what is now Scotland. The Picts lived in the east, the Gaelic-speaking people of Dál Riata in the west, and British-speaking people in the south. German-speaking Angles lived in the southeast. Christianity also brought Latin as a language for writing and learning.
Some of the oldest poems from Scotland were in Brythonic, a language related to modern Welsh. Y Gododdin, from the 500s, is one of the earliest. It's a collection of sad poems about warriors who died in battle. Another early poem, Battle of Gwen Ystrad, is linked to the bard Taliesin.
Gaelic religious works also appeared, like the Elegy for St Columba from around 597. In Latin, important works included Vita Columbae by Adomnán, which told the life story of St. Columba. An Old English poem, The Dream of the Rood, has lines found on the Ruthwell Cross in Scotland.
High Middle Ages (1000s-1200s)
Viking raids in the late 700s led to the creation of the Kingdom of Alba in the 840s. Gaelic culture was very strong, and most stories were told orally. In Ireland, poets, musicians, and historians called filidh shared knowledge in Gaelic. Scotland likely had similar storytellers.
From the 1000s, French, Flemish, and English became common in Scottish towns. When King David I ruled (1124–53), French became the main language of the royal court. After this, a different group of bards continued to tell stories in Gaelic, especially in the Highlands and Islands. They often trained in special schools.
Some Middle Irish literature might have been written in Scotland but is now lost. One surviving work is a poem called Heading for Damietta by Gille Brighde Albanach from around 1218. It describes his experiences during a crusade.
In the 1200s, French was a popular language for literature. The Roman de Fergus is the oldest non-Celtic story from Scotland. Some Norse literature also came from areas settled by Vikings, like the Orkneyinga Saga, though it was written in Iceland. Latin works included a poem celebrating a victory by Glasgow citizens.
Late Middle Ages (1300s-1400s)
In the late Middle Ages, early Scots, a language similar to English but with Gaelic and French influences, became very important. It became the language of government and the ruling class. As Scots grew, Gaelic began to decline in the Lowlands.
The first major work in Scots was John Barbour's Brus (1375). This epic poem told the story of Robert the Bruce and the Scottish Wars of Independence. Barbour is often called the "father of Scots poetry." Other long poems followed, like The Wallace by Blind Harry, which told the story of William Wallace.
Many poets, called makars, were connected to the royal court. King James I himself was a makar and wrote The Kingis Quair. Famous makars included Robert Henryson, William Dunbar, and Gavin Douglas. They created a "golden age" of Scottish poetry before printing became common.
Scots prose also began to develop. The Meroure of Wyssdome (1490) by John Ireland is one of the first complete prose works. In 1507, the first printing press was set up in Edinburgh. This made it easier to share Scottish literature and helped strengthen Scottish identity. One important work printed was Gavin Douglas's Eneados, the first full translation of Virgil's Aeneid into Scots.
Early Modern Scottish Literature
The 1500s: Royal Support and Changes
King James V (ruled 1513–42) supported poets like William Stewart and John Bellenden. David Lyndsay (c. 1486–1555) was a very active poet, writing stories, romances, and satires. George Buchanan (1506–82) was a major Latin poet, starting a tradition of Latin poetry in Scotland.
During the reigns of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–67) and her son James VI, there was less royal support for arts due to political unrest. The Church, influenced by Calvinism, also preferred religious poetry. Still, poets like Richard Maitland and Alexander Scott continued to write.
In the 1580s and 1590s, King James VI strongly promoted Scots literature. He wrote a guide for poets and was part of the Castalian Band, a group of court poets. They translated important works and wrote new poems in French styles. Poets like William Alexander followed this trend. However, when James became King of England in 1603, his focus shifted.
Lyndsay's play The Thrie Estaitis (1540) made fun of corruption in the church and government. It's the only complete play from before the Reformation. Buchanan wrote influential plays in Latin, but they had less impact in Scotland. There were few professional theaters in Scotland at this time.
The 1600s: A New Direction
After King James moved to England in 1603, he started to prefer the English language. In 1611, the Church in Scotland adopted the English King James Bible. This meant that the Scots language became less important in official circles. The loss of the royal court also hurt Scottish literature. Many Scottish poets moved to London and began to write in English.
As traditional Gaelic poetry changed, a new style of Gaelic poetry appeared. This new style used different rhythms and was often about praising important people. Some of these poets were women, like Mary MacLeod of Harris.
Latin poetry continued to be written, with a collection called Deliciae Poetarum Scotorum published in 1637. This period also saw the first named female Scottish poets. Elizabeth Melville's Ane Godlie Dream (1603) was a popular religious story. Anna Hume adapted Petrarch's Triumphs into English in 1644.
Ballads, which are narrative songs or poems, became important. Some ballads might be very old, but they were mostly passed down orally. They started to be written down and printed in the 1600s and 1700s. Famous collectors like Robert Burns and Walter Scott later recorded them.
The Church in Scotland often disapproved of theater, making it hard for plays to thrive. However, some plays still existed. William Alexander wrote Monarchicke Tragedies before moving to England. These were "closet dramas," meant to be read, not performed. Later, plays like William Clerke's Marciano (1663) and Archibald Pitcairne's The Assembly (1692) were performed or circulated.
The 1700s: Enlightenment and Revival
After Scotland and England united in 1707, many people in power discouraged the use of Scots. However, Scots remained the language of many ordinary people. Scottish literature began to develop a unique national identity and became known internationally.
Allan Ramsay (1686–1758) was a very important writer. He helped bring back interest in older Scottish literature. He published The Ever Green (1724), a collection of old poems. Ramsay also wrote pastoral poetry and his famous play The Gentle Shepherd. He supported the creation of a permanent theater in Edinburgh.
Many poets wrote in Scots and English during this time. Tobias Smollett (1721–71) was a poet and playwright, but he is best known for his adventure novels like The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748). He is often seen as Scotland's first novelist and influenced later writers like Charles Dickens.
Gaelic poetry also saw new developments. Important poets included Rob Donn Mackay and Donnchadh Bàn Mac an t-Saoir. Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (c. 1698–1770) was a major figure. He blended traditional Gaelic forms with new ideas, inspiring nature poetry in Gaelic.
James Macpherson became the first Scottish poet to gain international fame. He claimed to have found ancient poems by a Celtic bard named Ossian. His translations, like Fingal (1762), became very popular across Europe. They helped start the Romantic movement in literature. Later, it became clear that Macpherson had adapted the poems rather than directly translated them.
Robert Burns (1759–96) was greatly influenced by the Ossian poems. Burns, a poet and songwriter from Ayrshire, is considered Scotland's national poet. He wrote original poems and collected and adapted Scottish folk songs. His song "Auld Lang Syne" is sung worldwide on New Year's Eve. Burns wrote in both Scots and Scottish English. His poems explored themes like Scottish pride, social fairness, and everyday life.
Scottish playwrights like Catherine Trotter and David Crawford wrote plays in London. In Scotland, theater faced challenges from the Church. However, new theaters eventually opened, and "closet dramas" (plays meant to be read) became popular. Writers like Joanna Baillie wrote these, often inspired by ballads and Gothic stories.
The 1800s: Walter Scott and New Genres
While some saw a decline in Scottish poetry in the 1800s, many talented poets continued to write. These included William Thom and Thomas Campbell. The Highland Clearances (forced removal of people from the Highlands) deeply affected Gaelic language and poetry. Poets like Màiri Mhòr nan Óran (Mary MacPherson) wrote powerful poems about their homes and experiences.
Walter Scott (1771–1832) started as a poet and collected Scottish ballads. His first novel, Waverley (1814), is often called the first historical novel. Scott became incredibly successful, writing many historical novels like Rob Roy and Ivanhoe. He played a huge role in shaping and popularizing Scottish culture in the 1800s.
Scottish-themed plays, known as "national drama," became popular. Scott himself was interested in theater and helped produce plays like Joanna Baillie's The Family Legend (1810). Many of Scott's novels were adapted for the stage, drawing large audiences.
Scotland also had two important literary magazines: The Edinburgh Review (founded 1802) and Blackwood's Magazine (founded 1817). These magazines had a big impact on British literature during the Romantic period.
Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) was a Scottish writer whose works, like Sartor Resartus (1833–34), greatly influenced philosophy and literature.
Towards the end of the 1800s, several Scottish authors became famous worldwide. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote adventure stories like Treasure Island and Kidnapped, and the spooky novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Arthur Conan Doyle created the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Writers like J. M. Barrie, known for Peter Pan, and George MacDonald, whose works influenced the fantasy genre, also gained international recognition.
Modern Scottish Literature (1900s to Today)
The early 1900s saw a new wave of Scottish literature called the Scottish Renaissance. This movement was influenced by modern ideas and a growing sense of Scottish identity. The main figure was Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Murray Grieve). He tried to bring the Scots language back for serious literature.
Other important writers from this time included poets Edwin Muir and William Soutar, and novelists like Neil Gunn and Lewis Grassic Gibbon. These writers explored Scottish identity and social issues. This period also saw the rise of popular theater, especially in the Lowlands, with many amateur groups performing plays by Scottish writers.
After World War II, some writers continued to write in Scots, like Robert Garioch. Others focused on English poetry, such as Norman MacCaig and Edwin Morgan. Morgan, from Glasgow, was known for translating works from many languages. He became Scotland's first official Scots Makar (national poet) in 2004.
Many Scottish novelists of this era, like Muriel Spark and Robin Jenkins, lived outside Scotland but often wrote about Scottish themes. Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961) is set in Edinburgh. Popular authors like Alistair MacLean wrote action novels.
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From the 1980s, Scottish literature had another big revival. A group of Glasgow writers, including James Kelman, Alasdair Gray, and Irvine Welsh, became very famous. Their novels, like Welsh's Trainspotting (1993) and Kelman's How Late It Was, How Late (1994), explored different parts of Scottish life using strong, everyday language.
Writers like Gray and Iain Banks also led a wave of fantasy and science fiction. Scottish crime fiction grew hugely popular with authors like Val McDermid and Ian Rankin, known for his Inspector Rebus novels set in Edinburgh. Scottish playwrights like Liz Lochhead and David Greig explored both Scottish and European themes.
A new generation of Scottish poets also became well-known. These included Don Paterson, Kathleen Jamie, and Carol Ann Duffy. Duffy, born in Glasgow, made history in May 2009 when she became the first woman, the first Scot, and the first openly gay poet to be named the UK Poet Laureate.
