Tam O'Shanter: "The Chase"

Tam O’Shanter: “The Chase”

“Tam O’Shanter: ‘The Chase’”

Context and Overview:

  • “The Chase” is an essential part of Robert Burns’ story-poem, “Tam O’Shanter,” and showcases Burns’ craft in creating atmospheric and tense narratives.
  • The poem is set in Ayrshire, in the South West of Scotland, an area rich in traditional folklore and stories of witchcraft, which Burns drew on in his poetry.
  • Tam, having spent the evening drinking, rides home late at night and passes a church where he sees witches and warlocks dancing. One witch in particular, Nannie, catches his eye. When he shouts out to her, the supernatural creatures give chase.

Theme Exploration:

  • Supernatural and Folklore: The chase scene intensifies the supernatural elements at play, drawing upon Scottish folklore around witches and ghostly apparitions.
  • Moral Recklessness: Tam’s lack of judgement precipitates the chase, illustrating consequences of moral recklessness and disregard for societal norms.

Characterisation and Development:

  • Tam’s character is tested in this part of the poem. Despite being fearful, he demonstrates resourcefulness and quick thinking in evading the witches.
  • Nannie, the witch that chases Tam, is marked by her cutty sark or short shirt, now symbolic of the supernatural within Burns’ work.

Language use and Imagery:

  • Descriptive language intensifies the drama of the chase. Phrases like “wincing and flinging” create a vivid sense of movement and danger.
  • Burns effectively uses Scots dialect to give local colour and authenticity to his verse.
  • Sensory imagery such as “Roaring” and “Booming” create a soundscape that contributes to the terror of the scene.

Stylistic Elements:

  • Traditional narrative poetic forms are used by Burns in “The Chase” with its regular rhyme scheme and rhythmic patterning.
  • The use of onomatopoeia and alliteration also enhance the auditory experience of the poem, aiding to the overall tension.
  • Burns uses hyperbole to emphasise the terrifying events and consequential drama— “And Hell they’ll roast you like a herring.” This exaggeration reflects the tone of old folk tales, adding to the poem’s atmosphere.

Quotations for Consideration:

  • “As bees flee hame wi’ lades o’ treasure, The minutes wing’d their way wi’ pleasure:”
  • “And as he runs, the witches follow, Wi’ monie an eldritch screech and hollow.”
  • “As open pussie’s mortal foes, When, pop! she starts before their nose.”