First Contact: Waverley
Jacob R. Orr
FSAT 300, Blog Post 02
Before I begin this blogpost in earnest, I have a confession to make. I do not have a physical copy of Waverley, Or Sixty Years Since. Instead, I have been reading the book via the Gutenberg Project's free online copy of the two-volume edition from 2006. This eBook also does not feature page numbers, so I have been unable to refer to specific page numbers.
Sir Walter Scott's Waverley has been something of an anomaly as far as my reading taste is concerned. I had never encountered his writing before and Waverley is among his most famous works, perhaps only second to his other novel Ivanhoe (a work I have not read). At first glance this should be a book I adore. As a follower of both fiction and history I feel as though I should love this work for its significance, historical bent, and intrigue. However, my feelings regarding Waverley are a matter of firm indifference. I can't honestly say I dislike the novel but I'm not sure I like it either.
Much of Waverley feels like a chore to read, with long asides to background information and Scott's characteristically long sentences. While I thoroughly enjoy world building and I am fascinated by the history of the British Isles, the particular time-frame of Waverley and Scott's insistence on detailing every facet of his characters does little for me. I often feel like I cannot form my own conclusions about characters or the setting as Scott goes out of his way to tell me how he feels about such items.
By far the most compelling aspect of the novel is Scott's interest in the relationship between England and Scotland following the various Jacobite risings. Having read the entirety of the book now I have an appreciation for Scott's approach to this history and his methods of framing politics on the island of Great Britain. Unfortunately I find the book to be too bogged down in the effects of the 19th century English novel. The character of Rose was, from her introduction, the ideal choice of partner for Waverley as a character. I truly wanted Waverley to spring for Flora, the other romantic interest, but no novel from this period would have allowed their match. Flora was too much of a free spirit to be appropriate for Edward Waverley so naturally she ends the novel in a convent. It was certainly a clever idea on Scott's part to obscure his politics behind the guise of romance but as a modern reader, familiar with the tropes and uneventful pace of 19th century novels, I cannot help but be bored.
Even when the story seems to be headed somewhere and Scott entangles his protagonist in the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans the book still feels dry. Chapter 18 would seem to be the climax of the novel, or at least the '45 Rising plot line. Chapter 17 is well executed as it gives a great sense of apprehension in regard to the upcoming battle but the actual fight in the following passages offers little payoff. I have, naturally, been spoiled by the combat of more modern written works and the battles written by authors like Tolkien and Sullivan would most likely have offended Scott's readers for their detail and perceived gratuity. Indeed, I wonder how Scott's depiction of Prestonpans may have been considered by his peers and critics.
On the whole, I have found the text to be novel for its place in the realm of historical fiction, one of my favorite genres of writing for what I hope are obvious reasons. However, that novelty wears off when confronted with the realities of Waverley, Or Sixty Years Since. Perhaps I am being harsh on account of my disinterest in pre-modern novels. High expectations are a plague to any author, after all. Or perhaps I'm just mad that Edward chose Rose over Flora. Who knows?
