Robert Burns is perhaps Scotland's foremost cultural icon, and is the world's most widely celebrated poet. Sometimes his fame - and his face on all those teatowels - stands in the way of an appreciation of the sheer scope of his genius. Although occasionally derided by ignorant and unthinking persons as "doggerel", Burns's poetry contains great depths of humanity, philosophy, humour and rare beauty. Kenneth Simpson's SCOTNOTE study guide provides students with a brief and authoritative introduction to Robert Burns, his life and his work.