Sir Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott (1771—1832), was a Scottish romantic writer. He created and popularized historical novels in a long series of works called the «Waverley» novels. In such novels as «Ivanhoc», «The Heart of Midlothian», and «The Talisman», Scott showed his unique genius for recreating social history. He arranged his plots and characters so the reader can enter into the lives of both great and ordinary people who were caught up in violent, dramatic changes in history.

Scott's art shows the influence of the Enlightenment of the 17()()'s. He believed every human was basically deccnt, regardless of class, religion, politics, or ancestry. Tolerance for different ways of life 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. He was equally just to people in business, professional soldiers, and even kings.

Scott's amiability^ generosity, and modesty made him popular with his fellow writers. He declined the offer of poet laureate in 1813 and supported Robert Southey, who received the honor. Scott entertained on a grand scale at Abbotsford, his famous estate. Scott's influence can be seen in the works of Victor Hugo and Honore de Balzac of France, James Fenimore Cooper of the United Slates, and Leo Tolstoy of Russia. But despite his influence, Scott's repu­tation declined from the late 1800's to the mid-1900's. His reputa­tion has begun to rise again. But it probably will never reach the heights it attained during Scott's lifetime, when Goethe exclaimed, «All is great in the «Waverly» novels: material, effect, characters, execution». Literary historians regard Scott's death in 1832 as mark­ing the close of the romantic age in English literature.

His life. Scott was born in Edinburgh. His father, who was a successful lawyer, had young Walter trained for a law career. Scott became an attorney in 1792, and he practiced law actively for many years.

A childhood illness, probably polio, left Scott lame in his right leg. But he had unusual physical strength, and was an enthusiastic outdoorsman. He enjoyed taking trips into the Scottish countryside. These trips gave him firsthand knowledge of the life of rural people, and provided material for his first major publication, «Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1802—1803). This book was one of the great early collections of popular songs and ballads. «Minstrelsy» led to his first long verse poem «The Lay of the Last Minstrel» (1805). The poem tells the legend of a famous goblin, and describes much about life along the English-Scottish border in the 1500's.

Scott continued his success at narrative poetry with «Marmion» (1808), which includes his best-known ballad «Lochinvar». In 1810, Scott wrote his most popular story-poem, «The Lady of the Lake». This romantic tale, set in the famous Trossach Mountains, deals with picturesque Highland customs and history.

The Waverlcy novels. Alter the publication of his first novel, «Waverley», in 1814, Scott devoted himself primarily to fiction. Scott's progress to historical novels was natural. His talents as a storyteller and as a creator of character, as well as his gift for real­istic Scottish dialect, could never find lull expression in poetry.

«Waverley» describes a Scottish rebellion against England in 1745. The novel was published anonymously, without the benefit of Scott's name. However, the book was a success. From 1814 to 1832, Scott published 27 other novels, four plays, and much non- fiction. All of Scott's novels were referred to as part of the «Waverley» scries, because the author was identified on the title page only as «The Author of Waverley». Scott's author-ship was officially revealed in 1827, but it had been known for years.

Scott wrote frequently about the conflicts between different cultures. «Ivanhoc» (1819) 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 arc probably Scott's best. They deal with clashes between the new commercial English culture and an older Scot­tish culture. Scott contrasted the earthy vividness of the Scottish peasants with the formal, stilted language of his English-speak-

ing, upper-class characters. Many critics consider «The Heart of Midlothian» (1818) Scott's best novel. Others prefer «Old Mor­tality» (1816), which depicts religious strife in Scotland during the late 1600's. Scott's other novels in the «Waverley» series in­clude «Rob Roy» (1817), «А Legend of Montrose» (1819), and «Quentin Durward» (1823).