1. The Poetry of Edwin Morgan
S4 Scottish Text S4
The Poetry of Edwin Morgan

2. Edwin Morgan S4 Biography
Edwin Morgan is considered to be one of the most influential voices in Scottish writing in the last century.
Edwin Morgan became famous for his realistic and powerful depictions of Scottish life and identity. He is especially associated with his representation of his home city of Glasgow.
Morgan was also an experimental writer and often experimented with unusual style and structure in his writing.

3. Edwin Morgan Biography
The aim of today’s lesson is to introduce Edwin Morgan and to try to understand a little more about his life and the things that influenced his poetry.
To do this, we will complete a timeline of his life and mark the key moment and events within it. This will help us as we approach our study of his poetry.

4. Edwin Morgan Biography
Edwin George Morgan was born on 27th April 1920 in the West End of Glasgow.
Shortly after his birth, he moved with his parents to Rutherglen, where he spent most of his childhood.
Morgan attended Rutherglen school before starting at Glasgow High School. He completed his studies and enrolled at Glasgow University in 1937.

5. Edwin Morgan Biography 1937 1920 Morgan enrols at Glasgow University
Edwin George
Morgan
Born 27 April 1920
1937
1920

6. to complete his studies.
Edwin Morgan
Biography
1939
1945
Britain declares war on
Nazi Germany
WW2 comes to an
end following VE
and VJ day.
Morgan postpones
his studies to join
the Royal Army
Medical Corps
Morgan returns to
Glasgow University
to complete his studies.
1940
1946

7. Edwin Morgan Biography 1952 1961 1952 1960s Elizabeth II becomes Queen
JFK becomes
President of USA
Morgan’s first published work:
a translation of Beowulf
Morgan experiments
with shape and
concrete poetry
1952
1960s

8. Edwin Morgan Biography 1963 1969 1968 President Kennedy is
killed while
visiting Dallas (Texas)
Neil Armstrong becomes
the first man to walk
on the surface of the moon.
The ‘Second Life’. This 59
poem collection marked
Morgan’s first as a poet.
1968

9. Edwin Morgan Biography 1978 1979 1973 1975 Strikes in the UK lead
to the ‘winter of discontent’
Scotland votes against
devolution in a referendum.
Morgan’s collection
‘From Glasgow to Saturn’
highlights his interest in science
fiction as well as the broad
scope of his writing.
Morgan becomes a
Professor at Glasgow
University
1973
1975

10. Edwin Morgan Biography 1979 1981 1980 1982
Margaret Thatcher is elected
as the first female
British Prime Minister.
Prince Charles marries
Lady Diana Spencer.
Morgan publishes a selection of
Sonnets based primarily in his
home city of Glasgow.
Morgan retires as a
professor at Glasgow
University.
1980
1982

11. Edwin Morgan Biography 1997 1999 1990 2004
The Labour party led by Tony
Blair win power in a
Landslide election victory.
The people of Scotland
vote in favour of a new
Parliament.
The first complete collection
of Morgan’s poetry
Is published bringing together his
most famous poems.
Morgan is commissioned
to write a poem for the
opening of the new
Parliament building.
1990
2004

12. Edwin Morgan Biography 2001 2008 2004 2010 The world suffers the worst
The world is rocked by the
events of September 11th
The world suffers the worst
economic downturn in over
seventy years.
The Scottish Parliament name
Morgan as the first Scots
Poet laureate or Makar.
Morgan dies of
Cancer at the age of 90.
2004
2010