Oral Literature and Performance Culture

The cultural motifs that have over the years been gathered together to constitute the National Song Book and National Drama are identified and discussed. In so doing, the role of ’tradition’ in these key aspects of the cultural life of the Scots is thrown into relief. It emerges that tradition and identity are cultural traits which are capable of bearing many meanings. The characterisation of ’tradition’ as the immutable source, unadulterated by human invention is challenged in this volume, a…