Birth date: 
1425
Death date: 
1505
Birth town: 
Country: 
Scotland

Little is known about Robert Henryson's life, who was a very well-known Scottish author much admired by his contemporories (often described as the 'greatest' Scottish medieval author); who wrote in middle-scots in the second half of the fifteenth century, and mainly during the reign of James III. He 'possibly' attended and taught at the University of Glasgow, and is associated with the town of Dunfermline, where -inasmuch as can be ascertained from his work and sixteenth century tradition- he may have worked as a teacher, lawyer, or public notary. He was not a court poet, unlike his younger contemporary, William Dunbar.

Henryson's main works include a version of Aesop's Fables (usually entitled The Morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian), The Testament of Cresseid, a follow-on to Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde (but also seen as his own, original 'masterpiece', a poem in its own right) , Robene and Makyne, and Orpheus and Eurydice, a version of the classic tale.

Pricilla Bawcutt describes Henryson in Discovering Scottish Writers as excelling as 'a narrative poet' who handled the fable genre 'brilliantly.'

Poems by this Poet

Displaying 21 - 30 of 35
Poemsort descending Post date Rating Comments
The Garment of Good Ladies 29 November 2013
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
0
The Garmont of Gude Ladies 19 May 2014
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
0
The Praise of Age 29 November 2013
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
0
The Preiching of the Swallow 19 May 2014
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
1
The Prolog 19 May 2014
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
0
The Taill how this foirsaid Tod maid his C├Áfessioun to Freir Wolf Waitskaith 19 May 2014
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
0
The Taill of the Cok, and the Jasp 19 May 2014
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
0
The Taill of the Lion & the Mouse 19 May 2014
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
1
The Taill of the Paddok & the Mous 19 May 2014
3
Average: 3 (1 vote)
0
The Taill of the Scheip & the Doig 19 May 2014
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)
0

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