During his life Sorley MacLean wrote a number of critical essays on various topics; and both during his lifetime and since writers and critics have produced a significant volume of critical writing on and about his work. A selection of published essays by Sorley MacLean, and essays about his work by other writers, is reproduced here. In addition, the Sorley MacLean Trust has commissioned new essays on the poet and his work, which are published here for the first time. More essays will be added to this section in the future.
The essays are reproduced by kind permission of the relevant authors and publishers. Permission should be sought from the author/copyright holder before any public reuse of the material.
Previously published work
| Bateman, Meg. ‘Skye and Raasay as Symbol in the Poetry of Sorley MacLean’, in Storr: Unfolding Landscape, ed. Angus Farquhar. Edinburgh: Luath Press, 2005. |
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| Devlin, Brendan P. ‘In Spite of Sea and Centuries: An Irish Gael Looks at the Poetry of Sorley MacLean’, in Sorley MacLean: Critical Essays, ed. Raymond J. Ross and Joy Hendry. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1986, pp. 81-9. |
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| Hendry, Joy. ‘Sorley MacLean: The Man and his Work’, in Sorley MacLean: Critical Essays, ed. Raymond J. Ross and Joy Hendry. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1986, pp. 9-38. |
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| Herdman, John. ‘The Ghost Seen by the Soul: Sorley MacLean and the Absolute’, in Sorley MacLean: Critical Essays, ed. Raymond J. Ross and Joy Hendry. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1986, pp. 165-175. |
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| MacDonald, Donald Archie. ‘Some Aspects of Family and Local Background: an Interview with Sorley MacLean’ in Sorley MacLean: Critical Essays, ed. Raymond J. Ross and Joy Hendry. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1986, pp.211-222. |
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| MacInnes, John. ‘Language, Metre and Diction in the Poetry of Sorley MacLean’ in Dùthchas nan Gàidheal: Selected Essays of John MacInnes, ed. Michael Newton. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 2006, pp. 392-417. |
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| MacInnes, John. ‘Sorley MacLean’s Hallaig: a note’ in Dùthchas nan Gàidheal: Selected Essays of John MacInnes, ed. Michael Newton. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 2006, pp. 418-421. |
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| MacLean, S. ‘Aspects of Gaelic Poetry’ in Ris a’ Bhruthaich: The Criticism and Prose Writings of Sorley MacLean, ed. William Gillies. Stornoway: Acair, 1985, pp. 75-82. |
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| MacLean, S. ‘My relationship with the Muse’ in Ris a’ Bhruthaich: The Criticism and Prose Writings of Sorley MacLean, ed. William Gillies. Stornoway: Acair, 1985, pp. 6-14. |
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| MacLean, S. ‘Notes on Sea Imagery in Seventeenth Century Gaelic poetry’ in Ris a’ Bhruthaich: The Criticism and Prose Writings of Sorley MacLean, ed. William Gillies. Stornoway: Acair, 1985, pp. 83-105. |
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| MacLean, S. ‘Old Songs and New Poetry’ in Ris a’ Bhruthaich: The Criticism and Prose Writings of Sorley MacLean, ed. William Gillies. Stornoway: Acair, 1985, pp. 106-119. |
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| MacLean, S. ‘The Poetry of the Clearances’ in Ris a’ Bhruthaich: The Criticism and Prose Writings of Sorley MacLean, ed. William Gillies. Stornoway: Acair, 1985, pp. 48-74. |
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| McCaughey, Terence. ‘Sorley MacLean: Continuity and Transformation of Symbols’ in Sorley MacLean: Critical Essays, ed. Raymond J. Ross and Joy Hendry. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1986, pp. 127-35. |
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| Smith, Iain Crichton. ‘A Poet’s Response to Sorley MacLean’ in Sorley MacLean: Critical Essays, ed. Raymond J. Ross and Joy Hendry. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1986, pp.45-51. |
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Commissioned Essays
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Caimbeul, Maoilios. ‘Feartan ann am bàrdachd Shomhairle MhicGill-Eain’ on Sorley MacLean Online, 2007.
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MacRae, Alasdair. ‘Sorley MacLean in Non-Gaelic Contexts’ on Sorley MacLean Online, 2007. |
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