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'The Simple Bard, unbroke by rules or Art'. (Burns epigraph to the Kilmarnockedition). How does Burns cultivate a bardic persona in his poems?
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'The Simple Bard, unbroke by rules or Art'. (Burns epigraph to the Kilmarnock edition). How does Burns cultivate a bardic persona in his poems? Burns's cultivation of a bardic persona is predominantly forged by the intrinsic unity between content and form. The technical aspects of vernacular, epistolary form and the habbie stanza create the illusion of apparent simplicity. The deceptive complexity of Burns's technique, ironically serves to undermine his social superiors whilst allowing Burns to plead diminished responsibility, this allows him a freedom in his condemnation. The establishment of the ironic duality posits Burns's bardic persona as both, a character of love and compassion, but also allows him the capacity to condemn his social superiors with penetrating invective hatred. It is the underpinning of Burns's contrast with his social superiors that intensifies the bardic achievement of climbing Parnassus at the expense of his social superiors. It is from the...
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