Iain Crichton Smith
Iain Crichton Smith (1928-1998) was a prominent Scottish author and educator, born in Glasgow and raised in the Gaelic-speaking island of Lewis. His deep appreciation for Gaelic culture influenced much of his literary work. Smith graduated with honors in English from the University of Aberdeen and served in the British Army Education Corps before embarking on a teaching career in Scotland. Throughout his life, he was dedicated to exploring themes of communication, cultural identity, and mental health in his writings. His notable novels include *Consider the Lilies*, which addresses the painful historical evictions during the Highland Clearances, and *The Dream*, which delves into the conflicts between heritage and modern aspirations. Additionally, Smith's explorations of mental illness are evident in works like *In the Middle of the Wood*. A versatile writer, he also published poetry and short stories, earning numerous accolades including several awards from the Scottish Arts Council and the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. Smith's legacy lies in his commitment to Gaelic language preservation and his insightful reflections on human connection.
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Subject Terms
Iain Crichton Smith
Writer
- Born: January 1, 1928
- Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
- Died: October 15, 1998
Biography
Iain Crichton Smith was born Iain Mac A’Ghobhainn on January 1, 1928, in Glasgow, Scotland. He was raised in the Hebridean island of Lewis, where he spoke Gaelic and developed a great appreciation for Gaelic culture. He attended the University of Aberdeen and received his M.A. with honors in English in 1949.
Smith served in the British Army Education Corps from 1950 to 1952, becoming a sergeant. When Smith finished his military service, he took a position as a secondary-school teacher in Clydebank, Scotland, from 1952 to 1955. In 1955, he transferred schools and taught English at Oban High School until 1977. Smith was a member of the Literature Committee, of Scottish Arts Council since 1982. In 1977 he married.
Gaelic culture, coupled with the environment and Scottish history, were always predominant themes in Smith’s novels. His first novel, Consider the Lilies, recounts the period in nineteenth century Scottish history known as the Clearances, in which the people who inhabited the Scottish highlands were evicted from their homes by the British to clear the countryside for sheep. The story is told through the point of view of elderly Mrs. Scott, who witnesses her community torn apart and as a result, the erosion of the Gaelic language and culture.
The decline in Gaelic culture is further explored in Smith’s novel The Dream. Protagonist Martin dreams of returning home to the Island of Raws, where he can teach and celebrate Gaelic. His wife, also from Raws, refuses to acknowledge her heritage and dreams only of joining and traveling in the modern world. As a result of their differences, the two stop communication entirely.
The theme of communication breakdown appears throughout Smith’s novels, including My Last Duchess and In the Middle of the Wood. My Last Duchess follows Mark Simmons as he becomes disillusioned by the modern world, and removes himself from all aspects of it. In the Middle of the Wood features Ralph Simmons, as he too stops all communication with the outside world due to paranoia brought on by mental illness. The book attacks mental illness head-on in a shocking and depressing manner. The protagonist schoolmaster Mr. Trill, in Mr. Trill in Hades, and Other Stories, faces his death, and in dying meets his heroes from literature and realizes they are nothing more than figure heads and boasters. Disillusioned, he returns to the living, but abandons academia.
Smith also wrote a collection of short stories, Selected Stories, and published much poetry, including A Life, which is an autobiography. Smith received the Scottish Arts Council award in 1966, 1968, 1974, and 1978; the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) award in 1970; the Book Council Award in 1970; the Silver Pen Award, in 1971; the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal, in 1978; the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1986; the Society of Authors’ Traveling Scholarship in 1987; the Saltire Award in 1992; and the Forward Prize for Best Poem in 1994. Smith’s greatest contribution to literature is his ability to explore the power of communication, as well as his commitment to preserving the Gaelic language and culture.