The Poems of Ossian and Related Works: James Macpherson (Paperback)

by Howard Gaskill (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
An extremely important book that will interest scholars working in the fields of post-colonial, feminist and cultural studies. It will also interest anyone else who is concerned to gain an accurate picture of eighteenth-century literary history. An extremely important book that will interest scholars working in the fields of post-colonial, feminist and cultural studies. It will also interest anyone else who is concerned to gain an accurate picture of eighteenth-century literary history.

Product Description

This is the first modern edition of all Macpherson's Ossianic poetry, including Fragments of Ancient Poetry, Fingal and Temora - as well as his accompanying prefaces and dissertations, and Hugh Blair's Critical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian. Based on the 1765 text of the Works of Ossian, major variants from the other editions are included, together with a comprehensive register of Ossianic names.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 573 pages
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press (June 20, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0748607072
• ISBN-13: 978-0748607075
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #883,280 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #59 in

  Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Scottish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what it claims to be, but lovely nonetheless, September 14, 2004

By	G. Otis (Brooklyn NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Hugely popular when they were published in the 18th Century, the Poems of Ossian helped sparked the Romantic movement and its interest in folk themes and native mythology. Napoleon read this work, and Goethe referred to it in "The Sorrows of Young Werther." The poems were presented as translations from 6th-Century Scottish manuscripts discovered by MacPherson--or so he claimed. Anachronisms and deviations from other sources made the authenticity of this work suspect from the start, and many have considered the Poems of Ossian to have been composed by MacPherson himself. It might be more accurate to say that MacPherson based this work on authentic sources, interpreting freely as he went. Its tainted history shouldn't detract from enjoyment of this book; MacPherson was no mean poet and he had a real feel for the Celtic sensibility. MacPherson was neither the first author nor the last to over-hype his book; if he were alive today he probably would claim to have "channeled" Ossian.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well organized edition, July 8, 2000

By	"evenmere" (Lubbock, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

In the 1760s James Macpherson wandered Scotland, collecting the Poems of Ossian, many apparently existing only verbally. The book is a classic, the poetry is incredible, and the work is almost entirely forgotten today. That's a shame. Howard Gaskill has done the world a favor by releasing a new edition of "Ossian". He does an excellent job of organizing the material, and provides detailed explanations of the various plots of the poems. A great book for those who enjoy epic poetry.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic, August 22, 2001

By	M. Hartman (East Coast, Etats-Unis) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One of the greatest works of the 18th century. Thomas Jefferson read this book on a daily basis and extolled its merits. Unfortunately, the work was shrowded amidst questions about its "authenticity". It is a beautiful masterpiece, in my opinion. It does at times suffer from the excesses of 18th century sentimentality, but so does Tom Jones.