Discussion centres on Soutar’s literary talent
Literary editor and playwright Joy Hendry will be asking if William Soutar was a significant talent in a public lecture to mark the Perth poet’s birthday.
In her talk, “Oor Wullie – Small?” Joy will ask if Soutar should be seen as a mere miniaturist, or a major poet.
The talk has been organised by the Friends of William Soutar Society and will take place in the Soutar Theatre at the AK Bell Library on Thursday April 27, at 7.30pm. Admission is free and unticketed.
Joy, who was born in Perth and attended Perth Grammar, edits the Scottish literary magazine Chapman.
A longstanding admirer of Soutar’s, she used his life and work as the basis of her play, Gang Doon wi’ a Sang, which was produced at Perth Theatre in 1990.
Soutar suffered from ankylosing spondylitis, a form of spinal arthritis, and was bedridden for the last 13 years of his cruelly shortened life.
He was cared for by his parents in Wilson Street, Craigie, in the house now kept as a permanent memorial to him.
When he died in 1943, he left behind an extensive collection of work: adult poems, bairn rhymes, riddles, epigrams, diaries and dream diaries.
He favoured the short lyric form, and delighted in counterpointing the huge and universal with the small and seemingly insignificant. Many of his poems were inspired by local places, events and characters.
He was critically acclaimed during his lifetime, but his reputation suffered a posthumous blow when his friend and rival poet, Hugh MacDiarmid, described his talent as “minor”.
The controversy continues to this day.
Hugh McDiarmid was at Soutar’s home in Perth when it was donated to the city William Soutar’s writing talent remains a talking point