Burns for beginners
A BEGINNER’S view of the bard – and a haggis surprise.
A DAY I have previously associated more with a friend’s birthday than with the work of Rabbie Burns is fast approaching.
It is a day I have celebrated, not because of his work but because I love haggis.
While at university in Hastings, I forced friends to celebrate with me, just so I could laugh as they fearfully faced feasting on a foreign creature, that I, in their minds, had singlehandedly hunted on the hills during a recent trip home.
But when they asked what was the point of it all, the only answer I could give was: ‘Well, y’know ... it’s Burns and a’ that.’
So why is it that Robert Burns is a name we are brought up with – a name that is so familiar, recognised and celebrated, yet seems to mean so little to younger generations these days?
I may be able to sing you Auld Lang Syne from memory or recognise the odd line of his poetry – without knowing it was his – but what could I tell you about the man himself?
It would appear the majority of my Burns knowledge has been gifted to me through folk music – some of my favourite renditions being sung by Eddi Reader and The Corries – but I doubt very much I would have remembered they were Rabbie’s words before writing this.
While researching Burns for this week’s Advertiser, I was surprised to see how current he still is.
His poetry discusses social and political issues still relevant today, making me question why we seem to have come so far but not far enough over hundreds of years.
Take for instance A Man’s A Man For A’ That. The entire poem, verse to verse, discusses that wealth, appearances and social class are not how a person’s character should be judged and determined. Yet, still, these are things people put above honesty, integrity and loyalty today.
Two lines in particular from this famous piece have got me thinking – possibly in too literal a sense but still a point I imagine Burns would have gladly rattled people with: The coward slave – we pass him by We dare be poor for a’ that!
Say hello
How often do you pass by someone and think nothing of them? A beggar, someone who maybe just needs a hand or a little company? How often do you pass them by without a second thought? Maybe we all should be doing more, maybe just stopping to even say hello.
Now, I am not a man-hating, bra-burning feminist – or, please, by any means, pick some other stereotypes – but I do believe in equality and was amazed to see Burns’ support the feminist movement through the verses of The Rights of Women.
In a time when few men took women’s place in society seriously, it was surprising to read lines of support, raising the issues of equality and respect for women.
Burns did not shy a way from discussing the treatment of women:
There was, indeed, in far less polish’d days,
A time, when rough rude man had naughty ways,
Would swagger,
swear, get drunk, kick up a riot,
Nay even thus invade a lady’s quiet.
But this is not something of the past. We only have to switch on the TV or go online to see yet more sexist views and to hear of the inequality between genders. It is a worldwide issue to this day.
From what I can tell, Burns was a man of life experience and had a talent for putting himself into another’s shoes. And if that is all we take from his words – a sense of understanding of others – I think, that would be good enough for Burns.
And if all I have done is made you have a think about society today, that is good enough for me.