The Thane of Fife

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  1. McCabeGall21 January 2024 at 22:01

    William Tennent (1784-1848) is a forgotten figure in Scottish literary history. A teacher, scholar and linguist, who in his spare time composed poems, plays, and several works of interest. 'Anster Fair' (1812) was written in the Italian ottava rima style, and well received by critics. His second poem 'The Thane of Fife' (1822) was his second published work, written in the Italian canto form, where a long narrative poem is divided into cantos for the purpose of being sung by a minstrel. The work would be republished several times and whilst a entertaining and exciting tale of dark-age warfare and the supernatural it did not become as popular as his first work. Tennent would go on to write plays which were not well received, covering subjects such as 'John Balliol' and 'Cardinal Beaton'.
    The Thane of Fife is a poem about a battle in 9th century Fife, between Constantine, King of the Scots and the invading Vikings aided by the Picts. The story not only involves heroic characters and bloody conflicts, there are also supernatural and mythological references as Norse Gods and Celtic magic compete with early Scottish Christianity. The work is both entertaining and imaginative, and shows Tennent to have been a artist who possibly should be better remembered for his contribution to Scottish literature.

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  2. McCabeGall21 January 2024 at 22:06

    The Thane of Fife: A Poem by William Tennent (1822) https://amzn.eu/d/6Rf58W8

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