The Brus John Barbour (poet)

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an 18thc edition of brus in national museum of scotland



the sentiment underlying poem.


the brus, barbour s major surviving work, long narrative poem written while member of king s household in 1370s. subject ultimate success of prosecution of first war of scottish independence. principal focus robert bruce , sir james douglas, second half of poem features actions of robert ii s stewart forebears in conflict.


barbour s purpose in poem partly historical , partly patriotic. celebrates bruce (robert i) , douglas throughout flowers of scottish chivalry. poem opens description of state of scotland @ death of alexander iii (1286) , concludes (more or less) death of douglas , burial of bruce s heart (1332). central episode battle of bannockburn.


patriotic sentiment is, expressed in more general terms found in later scottish literature. in poem, robert s character hero of chivalric type common in contemporary romance, freedom noble thing sought , won @ costs, , opponents of such freedom shown in dark colours history , poetic propriety require, there none of complacency of merely provincial habit of mind.


barbour s style in poem vigorous, line fluid , quick, , there passages of high merit. quoted part book 1, lines 225-228:



a! fredome noble thing!
fredome mayss man haiff liking;
fredome solace man giffis:
he levys @ ess frely levys!






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