A makar ( / ˈ m æ k ər / ) is a word from Scottish literature that refers to a poet or bard, often a poet who worked in a royal court.

Since the 19th century, the term "The Makars" has been used to describe several poets from 15th and 16th century Scotland. These poets include Robert Henryson, William Dunbar, and Gavin Douglas. They wrote many different types of works in Middle Scots during the time of the Northern Renaissance.

The Makars are often called "Scots Chaucerians" by literary critics. In modern times, poets from the Scots revival in the 18th century, such as Allan Ramsay and Robert Fergusson, are also considered makars.

Since 2002, the word "makar" has been used again to describe a poet who receives public funding. This role first began in Edinburgh and later expanded to Glasgow, Stirling, and Dundee. In 2004, the Scottish Parliament officially recognized the position of Makar.

Etymology

The word "makar" in Middle Scots (plural: makaris) is similar to the word "maker" in Middle English. It is a direct translation of the Ancient Greek word ποιητής (poiētēs), which means "maker" or "poet." This term is used to describe poets who write in Scots, though it is not limited only to Scottish writers. For example, the Scottish poet William Dunbar referred to the English poets Geoffrey Chaucer, John Lydgate, and John Gower as makaris.

The Makars in history

The work of the Makars during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries was influenced by the use of everyday languages and new styles of poetic rhythm and structure that were popular in Europe after writers like Dante and Petrarch. This approach was similar to the style used by Geoffrey Chaucer in England. Their writing was different from earlier Scottish poets such as Barbour and Wyntoun, who used eight-syllable lines and focused on stories and historical events. However, Makars still used elements from older traditions, such as repeating sounds and fast storytelling, in their poetry.

The first known Makar, James I (1394–1437), is believed to have written The Kingis Quair. He was educated in England, which may have made his style less Scottish. Other Makars, like Richard Holland, Blind Hary, and Walter Kennedy, also wrote poetry, and there is evidence that many more works were created but are now lost. The quality of surviving works shows that Scottish poetry was strong and active during this time.

Henryson, considered one of the most important Makars, was not a court poet. However, he lived in Dunfermline, a city where the Stewart royal family resided.

A major cultural event was the Renaissance Court of James IV (1488–1513), which is closely linked to William Dunbar. The highest achievement of this time was William Douglas’s Eneados (1513), the first complete translation of a classical work into a language of the British Isles. Douglas was one of the first to clearly call his language "Scottis." This was also a time when Scots poetry used rich and fancy language, blending Latin words with everyday speech. Dunbar’s Lament for the Makaris (c.1505) lists many poets, some of whom are only known through his work, showing how widespread the tradition was.

Many Makars valued combining skillful writing with natural speech, being brief and quick in expression. For example, Dunbar praised his friend Merseir in The Lament for his cleverness. Some Makars, like Dunbar, used more Latin-based words in their poetry, creating a balance between fancy and simple language.

Douglas’s work set a high standard for poetry, but this was not followed in the next century. Later Makars, such as David Lyndsay, continued to use the styles of earlier poets. This influence lasted until the time of Alexander Scott and the Castalian Band, a group of poets in the court of James VI (1567–1603), which included Alexander Montgomerie and the king himself. James VI wrote Reulis and Cautelis (1584), a guide to Scottish poetic rules, highlighting what made Scots poetry unique. The move of the court to London in 1603 is often seen as the end of the Scottish poetic tradition started by the Makars, though some poets like William Drummond may have continued the style into the seventeenth century.

The Makars are often called "Scots Chaucerians" because of their connection to Geoffrey Chaucer. While Chaucer influenced Scottish writers, Makars also drew from older Scottish traditions, like those of Barbour, and French courtly literature.

Today, the term "Makar" can also refer to poets during the eighteenth-century revival in Scotland, such as Allan Ramsay and Robert Fergusson. More recently, poets like Robert Garioch, Sydney Goodsir Smith, George Campbell Hay, and Norman MacCaig have been seen as continuing the Makars’ traditions.

Modern usage

In 2004, the Scottish Parliament created a national title called The Scots Makar. The first person to hold this position was Edwin Morgan, who was chosen by the Parliament that same year. He was followed by Liz Lochhead in 2011, and Jackie Kay became the third Makar in 2016. Before Jackie Kay was chosen, some people thought the title might change to "National Poet for Scotland" because the word "Makar" was not well known outside Scotland. Jackie Kay worked to keep the name "Makar," which is still used today. In August 2021, Kathleen Jamie was named the fourth Makar.

In 2002, the city of Edinburgh, which is Scotland's capital, created its own Makar position called the Edinburgh Makar. Each person holds this role for three years. The first three Edinburgh Makars were Stewart Conn (2002), Valerie Gillies (2005), and Ron Butlin (2008, 2011). As of 2021, Hannah Lavery is the current Edinburgh Makar. Earlier Makars included Alan Spence and Christine De Luca, a writer and advocate who uses the Shetlandic dialect.

Other cities in Scotland also created Makar positions. Glasgow has Liz Lochhead, Stirling has Magi Gibson and Laura Fyfe, Aberdeen has Sheena Blackhall, and Dundee has W.N. Herbert.

Other uses

• The American poet John Berryman uses the word in poems titled "The Dream Songs #43" and "The Dream Songs #94."
• Makar is the name of a fictional character in the video game called The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. For more information, see The Wind Waker characters.
• Makar is a band from New York that was formed in 2002 by singers and songwriters Mark Purnell and Andrea DeAngelis.
• The Edinburgh Makars is an amateur drama group that was started in 1932 by Christine Orr, a well-known Scottish actress, broadcaster, and playwright.