From the publication of Neil Gunn’s first novel in 1926, he became an increasingly prominent figure in Scottish arts and Nationalist politics. Indeed, the two went hand-in-hand. The Scottish Renaissance headed by Hugh MacDiarmid in the 1920s, with which Gunn was associated, was a drive towards cultural renewal that could only be achieved through a heightened sense of national identity. Nevertheless, Gunn’s concern with Scottish Nationalism was accompanied by a deep commitment to the distinct identity of the Highlands. Gunn’s use of Highland landscape and culture in his fiction challenged stereotypes based on the Celtic melodrama made popular by writers such as William Sharp (“Fiona MacLeod”), and the “Celtic Twilight” associated with the early work of W. B. Yeats and other…
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Citation: Matthews, Kirsten. "Neil Gunn". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 29 August 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5937, accessed 22 November 2024.]
