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Novels of Walter Scott As a Mimetic Vehicle for Portraying Historical Characters

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International Journal of English and Literature (IJEL) ISSN 2249-6912 Vol. 3, Issue 1, Mar 2013, 69-74 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd. NOVELS OF WALTER SCOTT AS A MIMETIC VEHICLE FOR PORTRAYING HISTORICAL CHARACTERS SHEEBA AZHAR 1 & SYED ABID ALI 2 1Assistant Professor, Department of English, College of Applied Medical Science, Hafr Al Batin University of Dammam,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2Lecturer, Department of English, College of Applied Medical Science, Hafr Al Batin University of Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT Sir Walter Scott is a great historical novelist. Scott’s knowledge of human psychology is evident to from the presentation of his characters. Scott’s assertion in the first chapter of Waverley is that “the object of my tale is more a description of men than manners.” He has thrown the force of his narrative upon the characters and passions of the actors; those passions, that are common to men in all stages of society, and which have alike agitated the human heart in all ages. His characters present their inherent traits with an unequalled eloquence. They are not made up of one or two sets of qualities. They are moulded from the substance of which human life is made and possess all its attributes. Present paper examines Sir Walter Scott’s method of characterization and point of excellence in the portrayal of various historical characters. KEYWORDS: Sir Walter Scott, Unequalled Eloquence, Waverley INTRODUCTION According to George Lukacs “what matters in the historical novel is not the re-telling of great historical events, but the poetic awakening of the people who are figured in those events” 1 It means that the responsibilities of a historical novelist are doubled as compared to those of the general novelist, in the matter of characterization, for he has to introduce characters from the past. The authenticity of his novels depends to a great extent, on the art of presentation of historical and non – historical figures. Scott presented an effective interaction between historical and fictional characters as well as depicted female characters as important figures in his novels. In some of his novels Scott gives more importance to the fictional characters but others of his novels are dominated by the historical characters. The eloquence of his art of characterization lies in that there is a constant interaction between the historical and fictional characters. He does not neglect this level of historical continuity. In Guy Mannering it is Meg Merrilies who provides a clue to Bertram’s past. She, the last of her race in that locality brings together father and the son. In this way fictional and historical characters are in constant interaction with each other. He has to mould his characters and their actions so that they are not at odds with history and can be clearly seen as products of the society that Scott portrays. Due to the proper interaction between historical and fictional characters Scott is able to change the dominance of both kinds of characters according to the requirement of the historical themes presented in his novels. This helps him to maintain a proper interaction between history and fiction without distorting the historical accuracy. For example, in The Abbot the fictional charact ers predominate but, as is sometimes the case in Scott’s novels, the emotional emphasis is upon 70 Sheeba Azhar & Syed Abid Ali the historical characters. Mary Queen of Scots’ tragic destiny is depicted in an eloquent manner. According to Marian H. Cusac “the story of Mary is one of the many “fine things which Scott has brought into his novels by means of a sequence of events which belong structurally to a fictional protagonist” 2 Thus the Abbot serves as the best example of perfect interaction between historical and fictional characters. The historical figure vanishes into history, leaving the fictional characters still ‘alive’ and in a sense immortal in their fictional existence. “ The sails were hoisted, the oars were plied, vessel went freshly on her way through the firth, which divides the shores of cumber/ and from those of Galloway; but not till the vessel diminished to the size of a child’s frigate, did the doubtful and dejected and dismissed followers of the queen cease to linger on the sands; and long . Long could they discern the kerchief of Mary as she waved the oft repeated signal of adieu to her faithful adherents and to the shores of Scotland.” 3 Kenilworth can be referred to as example of those novels of Scott in which historical characters predominates. The historical characters are involved in each of the dramatic moments. Like most of Scott’s historical characters Leicester and Amy are tragic and their fate is determined, unlike the fate of other such figures; however their tragedy appears to result from the evil deeds of another character, Varney. He is ambitious and wishes to keep his master in the good graces of the court at any cost, so that he may advance his own career. St. Ronan’s well presents no historical character but Clara herself is, in some respects, similar to Scott’s historical figures in other novels. Her sad part of betrayal and ruin, her “history” determines her destiny, just as Mary’s future is shaped by the unchangeable past. Clara’s fate also bears resemblance to that of Effie Deans 4 and clearly to that of the semi-historical character, Lucy Ashton, in The Bride of Lammermoor. In fact the doom which surrounds her strongly resembles that of Lucy Ashton. Hence it is evident from these examples that Scott has endeavoured to keep balance between the historical and fictional characters are the means of illuminating the social life of a particular era and their mutual connection with the historical figures helps Scott to portray the common human society of a particular era. Queen Caroline’s interview with Jeanie Deans in The Heart of Midlothian is another example of Scott’s supremacy in creating an interaction between historical and fictional characters. Jeanie goes to the queen in order to seek pardon for her sister who is accused of the murder of her premature child. Her conversation with the queen is presented in a realistic manner. She requests the queen to “save an honest house from dishonour and an unhappy girl, not eighteen years of age, from an early and dreadful death.” 5 Here Scott uses another device and claims in his introduction to the novel that the character of Jeanie Deans is based upon that of a real lady, Helen Walker. Scott regards Helen Walker “the prototype of Jeanie Deans.” 6 This technique of basing fictional characters on the real ones is unique in Scott’s art of characterization. Scott’s characterization is intimately bound up with his historical vision. Tillyard comments on Jeanie and says that “I say nothing of Jeanie Deans as a character in fiction and take it for granted that she is a very great character indeed set in a successfully supporting context. It is only because she is such a character that any political and national significance, she can have is mare than nominal.” 7 Daiches refers when he says of Scott, that “it was his tendency to look at history that had worked on it that provided the foundation of his art.” 8 Consequently it can be said that Scott’s fictional characters, along with the historical ones, serve the equal purpose of illuminating the historical events in lively colours. Scott’s knowledge of human psychology is evident to from the presentation of his characters. Scott’s assertion in the first chapter of Waverley is that “the object of my tale is more a description of men than manners.” 9 He has thrown the Novels of Walter Scott as a Mimetic Vehicle for Portraying Historical Characters 71 force of his narrative upon the characters and passions of the actors; those passions, that are common to men in all stages of society, and which have alike agitated the human heart, whether it throbbed under the steel corslet of the fifteenth century, the brocaded coat of the eighteenth or the blue frock and dimity waist coat of the nineteenth century. As far as the presentation of female characters is concerned, Scott presents them in almost the same manner. The females are not only romantic, but Scott uses them for other purposes also. Scott’s female characters usually form the central part of the story. They are affected by the existing political or social environment and their role as beloveds has a secondary importance. For example Jeanie Deans of The Heart of Midlothian represents the simplicity, beauty and determination of a rural Scottish girl. Die Vernon of Rob Roy is a perfect emblem of cleverness and wisdom. Though Scott gives a secondary importance to the romantic aspect of his heroine, Lucy Ashton in The Bride of Lammermoor is a fine example of a typical romantic heroine. She can be regarded as the best tragic heroine of Scott. Jeanie Deans of The Heart of Midlothian is a symbol of those moderate virtues which Scott regarded as indispensable to good life. Scott describes her character in the following manner: “She was short and rather too stoutly made for her size, had grey eyes, light coloured hair, a round good humoured face much tanned with the sun, and her only particular charm was an air of inexpressible serenity, which a good conscience, kind feelings, contented temper, and a regular discharge of all her duties, spread over her features.” 10 Thus the grandeur of Scott’s art lies in situating Jeanie and her battle with her conscience firmly in the context of Lowland Scottish life in 1736.
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