Sir Walter Scott was born on August 15, 1771 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scott created and popularized historical novels in a series called the Waverley Novels.In his novels Scott arranged the plots and characters so the reader enters into the lives of both great and ordinary people caught up in violent, dramatic changes in history.
Scott's work shows the influence of the 18th century enlightenment. He believed every human was basically decent regardless of class, religion, politics, or ancestry. Tolerance is a major theme in his historical works. The Waverley Novels express his belief in the need for social progress that does not reject the traditions of the past. He was the first novelist to portray peasant characters sympathetically and realistically, and was equally just to merchants, soldiers, and even kings. Scott wrote frequently about the conflicts between different cultures. Ivanhoe (1791) deals with the struggle between Normans and Saxons, and the Talisman (1825) describes the conflict between Christians and Muslims. The novels dealing with Scottish history are probably Scott's best. They deal with clashes between new commercial English culture and an older Scottish culture. Many critics rank "Old Mortality" (1816), "The Heart of Midlothian" (1819), and "St Ronan's Well" (1824) as Scott's best novels. Other works in the Waverley series include "Rob Roy" (1817), "A Legend of Montrose" (1819), and "Quentin Dunward" (1823).
Rob Roy
This novel, first published in 1817, achieved a huge success and helped establish the historical novel as a literary form. In rich prose and vivid description, Rob Roy follows the adventures of a businessman's son, Frank Osbaldistone, who is sent to Scotland and finds himself drawn to the powerful, enigmatic figure of Rob Roy MacGregor, the romantic outlaw who fights for justice and dignity for the Scots. This is an incomparable portrait of the haunted Highlands and Scotland's glorious past.
Ivanhoe
First published in 1791, Ivanhoe is a stirring romantic tale of peril and rescue, chivalry and pageantry. It is the captivating tale of Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a knight returning from the Crusades who finds himself disinherited and thwarted in the pursuit of the lady Rowena.
A SAMPLE OF SCOTT'S POETRY
Lullaby Of An Infant Chief
- O hush thee, my babie, thy sire was a knight,
- Thy mother was a lady, both lovely and bright;
- The woods and the glens, from the towers which we see,
- They all are belonging, dear babie, to thee.
- O ho ro, i ri ri, cadul gu lo,
- O ho ro, i ri ri, cadul gu lo.
- O fear not the bugle, though loudly it blows,
- It calls but the warders that guard thy repose;
- Their bows would be bended, their blades would be red,
- Ere the step of a foeman drew near to thy bed.
- O ho ro, i ri ri, cadul gu lo...
- O hush thee, my babie, the time soon will come
- When thy sleep shall be broken by trumpet and drum;
- Then hush thee, my darling, take rest while you may,
- For strife comes with manhood, and waking with day.
- O ho ro, i ri ri, cadul gu lo.
Song Of The Dawn
(From "The Legend of Montrose")
Lady Anne
(From "The Legend of Montrose")
- November's hail-cloud drifts away,
- November's sunbeam wan
- Looks coldly on the castle grey,
- When forth comes Lady Anne.
- The orphan by the oak was set,
- Her arms, her feet, were bare;
- The hail drops had not melted yet,
- Amid her raven hair.
- "And, dame," she said, "by all the ties
- That child and mother know,
- Aid one who never knew these joys,
- Relieve an orphan's woe."
- The lady said, "An orphan's state
- Is hard and sad to bear;
- Yet worse the widow'd mother's fate
- Who mourns both lord and heir.
- "Twelve times the rolling year has sped,
- Since, when from vengeance wild
- Of fierce Strathallan's Chief I fled
- Forth's eddies whelm'd my child."
- "Twelve times the year its course has borne,"
- The wandering maid replied;
- "Since fishers on Saint Bridget's morn
- Drew nets on Campsie side.
- "Saint Bridget sent no scaly spoil;
- An infant, wellnigh dead,
- They saved, and rear'd in want and toil,
- To beg from you her bred."
- That orphan maid the lady kiss'd,---
- "My husband's looks you bear;
- Saint Bridget and her morn be bless'd!
- You are his widow's heir."
- They've robed that maid, so poor and pale
- In silk and sandals rare;
- And pearls, for drops of frozen hail,
- Are glistening in her hair.
MACGREGOR'S GATHERING
The moon's on the lake, and the mist's on the brae,
And the Clan has a name that is nameless by day;
Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Gather, gather, gather, &c.
Our signal for fight, that from monarchs we drew,
Must be heard but by night in our vengeful haloo!
Then haloo, Grigalach! haloo, Grigalach!
Haloo, haloo, haloo, Grigalach,
Glen Orchy's proud mountains, Coalchuirn and her towers,
Glenstrae and Glenlyon no longer are ours;
We're landless, landless, landless, Grigalach!
Landless, landless, landless.
But doom'd and devoted by vassal and lord.
MacGregor has still both his heart and his sword!
Then courage, courage, courage, Grigalach!
Courage, courage, courage.
If they rob us of name, and pursue us with beagles,
Give their roofs to the flame, and their flesh to the eagles!
Then vengeance, vengeance, vengeance, Grigalach!
Vengeance, vengeance, vengeance.
While there's leaves in the forest, and foam on the river,
MacGregor, despite them, shall flourish for ever!
Come then, Grigalach, come then, Grigalach,
Come then, come then, come then.
Through the depths of Loch Katrine the steed shall career,
O'er the peak of Ben-Lomond the galley shall steer,
And the rocks of Craig-Royston like icicles melt,
Ere our wrongs be forgot, or our vengeance unfelt!
Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach!
Gather, gather, gather.
