w— THE FiiMlNIMS HOLE IN SIR WALTER SCOTT*S NOVELS AUKREY GREEN, B.A. A THESIS IN ENGLI^:H Bubaltted to the Graduate Faeulty of Textts Technelojorical College in Partial FulfillMnt of the Hequlremente for the Dogroo of MASTER OF ARTS Approved AB.(7'-\iZH Ac 73 I9CC No-32 ACKNOWLEDGMEHT I Bffl de«ply Indebted to Professor 0. Boss Hoy for his kind and aeholarljr dtrootlon of this th,sls. 11 y C0RTF;NTS ACKNOWI£DGMENT ii CHAPTERS I, Introduction 1 II, The Benign Heroine, , , , • 6 III, The Female Villain 28 IV, The Outlaw Wox an, , 43 V, The Servant-class Incidental Wcman. , . 59 VI, The Opper-'Class Incidental Woman, , . 76 VII. Conclusion , , . 82 BIBLIOGHAPHT §5 111 CHAPTiCR I INTRODUCTION Publications on the subject indicate that the femi­ nine role In novels by sir Walter Scott has received little investigation by scholars. That Scott's use of the feminine role In the development of his novels is important is a basic premise of this thesis. 'Riere are several reasons why such a study Is valuable: (1) the feminine role in literature is significant; (2) the writings of Scott con­ tinue to influence literature; (3) Gcott'p feminine char­ acters influence his novels; (4) ^'cott's feminine charac­ ters reflect the historical, social, religious, and polit­ ical views of nineteenth century ocotlejid. In most of his novels, Scott's creation of the femi­ nine role is influenced by numerous, often contradictory, ideas. Foremost among these concepts is a prominent dualism that is reflected in both his writings r.nd his life, Alexander Velsh contends that ;.cott held the "concept of tT.o worlds I law versus lawlessness, "^ Sir Herbert Grlerson 1Alexander Welsh, The Hero of the Waverley Novels (LondonI Yale University Press, l5o3)• P• 90, asserts that Scott, the romantic, was countered by Scott, the realists There was In Scott's mind a dualism v;hlch he made no attempt to bridge, of which he was not himself fully conscious. In the novels It shows Itself In the con­ tradiction between his romantic sympathies and his sober Judgment. , . * Tho dualism I have In view pervad* ed Scott•s life as well as his work, , , ,1 am thinking rather of his outlook on life and politics. , , ,2 other critics Illustrate Scott's concept of two conflicting worlds, one of violence and the other of order. In a review ^or Stud:^es ^ Scottish Literature. David Daiches claims that Scott's passive heroes and heroines are acted on rather than act because they should be consld* ered symbolic observers through whose innocent and law- abiding eyes the reader is allowed to see the tensions between picturesque violence and civilized order (with the latter In the end approved and victorious) that con­ stitute the them® of most of Scott's best work,3 Grlerson criticizes Scott's failure to adhere to any view with emphatic and clear singleness of mind. He claims that had there been less of division between his Imagination and his sense of the reality of things. It might or would have lent to his herofes, and not to these alone but to the historical characters, more Intensity and Interest.^ Elsewhere Grlerson asserts that "Scott's conservatism had 2Sir Herbert J. B» Grlerson, s^v Walter Scott, Bart, (New Yorkt Columbia University Press, 1938), p, 307. ^Davld Daiches, **Hevlew of The Hero of the Waverley Hovels by Alexander Welsh," studies in Scottish Literature. II (October 1964), p, 133- Grlerson, p, 312, Its root In the romantic oast of his sentiments and Imagina­ tion, "5 "Hius, Scott contends on the one hand with his real­ istic logic towELTd the violencA, vice, and difficulties of life and on the other hand with his romantic Idealism toward beauty and harmony, Dalohes points out that, while Scott's conflicts between realism and Idealism are recognizable there Is another klna of reality at work In the novels, built up by the racy Scots dialogic of characters who may In themselves be offensive or ridiculous; and this Is surely worth some examination, for this Is why the novels are read," The Ixaportance of this conflict between rsallsm and romanticism lies In the fact that It Influenced Scott's development of feminine characters. Caught as he was ^between these conflicting worlds, It Is Inevitable that Scott would be inconsistent In his development of character. On the one hand are the stereotyped ilfures of the dpper-class, whereas on the other hand are the vigorous, lifelike, believable ohairacters of the lower-class. Of course, there are many reasons why Scott Is unable to depict the upper-class, but his vacillation between romanticism and realism Is one of the most Important of these reas<»i6. This duality In Scott's 5H, J. C, Grlerson (ed,), The Letters of Sir W Scott. I987-I80L987-18077 (London!! ConstaiiConstafle and Co.,T[952Tf «i. I, XXX,. I(HencefortT h cited as Letters) ^Dalohes, p, I36. life and wor^s Is reflected, as one would expect, In his feminine characters. It would be impossible to study the significant role of women In all of Scott's novels. This study, there­ fore, will concentrate upon four novels: Guy Mannering(1815). Old Mortality (18l6), Tho^ Heart $1 Mld-Lothlan (1818), and The Br;ide pf Lammermoor (1819), The role of every signifi­ cant woman In each of these novels has been studied, her characteristics noted and her influence upon the novel indi­ cated. These studies of individual women have been grouped Into categories In which the women display similar roles, characteristics, or Influences, Five such categories have resulted and each category comprises a separate chapter In the thesis. The categories are: (1) the benign heroine; (2) the female villain| (3) the outlaw woman| {k) the servant class Incidental woman; (5) the upper class Inci­ dental v7oman. The final chapter will point out In detail the major conclusions of the study. The following Is a listing of the feminine characters studied In this thesis In the order of presentation, giving the major category, name, and source of each woman. The categories are listed In descending order of Importance and the novels within these categories cure studied In chronologi­ cal order. 5 CATEGORY WOMAN SOURCE The Benign Heroine Lttey Bertram Julia Mannerlng 9uy Mannerlng Edith Bellenden Old Mortality Jeanle Deans TJhe Heart of Mid« Itiothlan Lucy Ashton The Bride of Lamopermioor The Female Villain Lady ^iargaret Old Mortality Bellenden Effle Deans The Heart of Mid. Lady Ashton The Bride of TtiO Outlaw Woman Meg Merrllles Itedge Murdockson Tht Heart of Mid- Meg Murdockson Tha Heart of Kid* Lothian The Servaint Class Incidental Woman Mrs, MacCandllsh Guy Mannerlng M3P8, Alison Wilson old Mortal I t3r Mause Headrigg o53r Mortality Jenny Dennison Morf Elizabeth Maclure Mortality Alice G^ray ^futioao^ otmaaf'f''ieaaoemSaaHi'o/mmm Lammenpoor The Upper Class Incidental Woman Mrs, Margetret Bertram SHS: msfmiim. Mrs, Godfrey Bertram Lady Emily Hamilton Mrs. Saddletree t of Mid- CHAPT'd-H II THE BENIGN HEROINE Several women In the Waverley Novels are heroines. Among these women are the docile, romantic, benign heroines whose roles are Important In the novels. The benign heroine Is amiable, trustworthy, loyal, ethical, and conscientious. To fulfill her role, she must be Infectuous so that the reader will sjrmpathlze with her position, and she must be Intelligent to fulfill the requirements of her role. The benign heroine Is one of the most admirable women Scott depicts. Frequently, hers Is one of the most significant roles In the novel. She Is often the best developed person­ ality the author presents. Prom the novels selected for this study, the benign heroines are Lucy Bertram, Julia Mannerlng, Edith Bellenden, Jeanle Deans, and Lucy Ashton, ^^ ^^y Mannerlng. Lacy Bertram Is bom Into the family of an upper-class land-owner who has vast properties. Combined with this natural advantage are several admirable characteristics which Identify Lucy Bertram as a genuine heroine In the novel, Scott says that Lucy Bertram Is "a beautiful young woman of seventeen."! Even though Lucy and Isir Walter Scott, Guy Mannerlng (London: Macmlllan and Co., 1905)» P« 1^« (Henceforth cited as Guy Mannerlng) 7 her father lose their possessions, she Is accustomed to upper-class living In most of the novel, Lucy Bertram utilizes the good books collected and prized by Dominie Sampson, and she Is taught with special Interest by Dominie Her teacher claimsi You will find Miss Bertram perfect In the tongues of Prance and Italy, and even of Spain, in reading and writing her vernacular tongue, and In arithmetic and bookkeeping by double and single entry, I say nothing of her talent of shaping, and hemming, and governing a household.2 She Is skilled In the art of writing and the habit of walk­ ing, both of which she willingly teaches Julia Mannerlng, On several occasions Lucy sings her native melodies "very sweetly" for Guy Mannerlng and Lawyer Pleydell, Mrs, MacCandllsh, an Innkeeper In Guy Mannerlng. praises Lucy Bertram for her habit of regular church attendance. She tells Guy Mannerlng, Miss Bertram comes on the white powny Ilka day to the kirk, and a constant klrk-kaeper she le, and It's a pleasure to hear her singing the psalms, winsome young thing that she be.3 Another commendable attribute of Lucy Bertram Is Colonel Guy Mannerlng's assertion that"her genuine prudence and good sense can so surely be relied upon,"^ Scott praises ^Guy Mannerlng, p, 529. 3G|UC Kai^enmt P- 100. ^Guy MgaS££lSfiL» P- 102. 8 Lucy by writing, , , • penniless Lucy Bertrsun, who had nothing on earth to recommend her, but a pretty face, good birth, and a most amiable disposition,5 Melancholia Is a significant aspect of Lucy Bertram's role In G^y Mannerlng, She reflects often on the sad reali­ zation "ttiat her birth caused her mother's death, leaving Mr.