About
Robert Burns, born on 25 January 1759 in Alloway, Scotland, is regarded as Scotland's national poet and a pioneer of the Romantic movement. The eldest son of a tenant farmer, he published his first collection, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, in 1786, which met with immediate acclaim. He wrote or collected over 300 songs, including 'Auld Lang Syne' and 'A Red, Red Rose.' His narrative poem 'Tam o' Shanter' was published in 1791. He worked as an excise officer in Dumfries from 1792. Married to Jean Armour, he fathered twelve children. He died on 21 July 1796 at the age of 37, likely of rheumatic heart disease.
* 1759-01-25 — † 1796-07-21
Major works
- Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (1786)poetry collection
- Tam o' Shanter (1791)narrative poem
- Auld Lang Synesong
- A Red, Red Rosesong
Key milestones
- 1786Publication of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (Kilmarnock Edition), which met with immediate critical acclaim.
- 1788Marriage to Jean Armour.
- 1796Death in Dumfries on 21 July, at the age of 37.
Themes
LoveNatureRural lifeScottish identityEquality and brotherhood
Sources: digital.nls.uk · oxfordbibliographies.com · webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk
