John Barbour’s date of birth is uncertain, but it is believed to be around 1325; he died on March 13, 1395. He was a member of the clergy in Scotland and became archdeacon of Aberdeen, presumably in 1355, and served as an auditor as well. His poem, which comprises some 14,000 lines in the language of Early Scots, was composed sometime between 1375 and 1377, a period in which the poet was “only in his diocese and not called thence on the king’s business.”19 The poem survives in two manuscripts: Cambridge, Saint John’s College Library, MS G.23, which dates to 1487, and Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Advocates MS 19.2.2., which dates to 1489. Barbour was connected to the Scottish royalty; he first served Robert II when he ascended to the throne on March 26, 1371.20 His demanding position at Aberdeen allowed Barbour to come into close contact with many of the royal family, yet it is difficult to determine if he had patrons for his poetry.21
Barbour’s poem focuses on the Bruce’s life from 1286 to 1322; it does not include any details on the life and times of William Wallace. The genre is a mixture of chivalric romance and verse chronicle. The battle of Bannockburn is the highlight of the poem. Here, the violence of the day is described in rich detail, and the English defeat becomes one of the poem’s central moments. Barbour’s words on the concept of freedom are poignant, romantic, idyllic, and influential. Scottish patriotism is stressed throughout the work, and the Bruce, being its symbol, shines. The complicated (some might argue duplicitous) nature of the Bruce’s figure is represented by the compelling, bold, courteous, and chivalric hero. While there are a number of historical inaccuracies, the poet’s “themes of freedom and leadership are effectively stated and illustrated, effectively enough for the epic nature of his subject to be felt.”22
World History
