Sir Walter Scott, Author of Rob Roy and Ivanhoe

There are many legendary authors out there, and then there are authors who create legends. Sir Walter Scott is one of those authors. While he is most notable for the story of Ivanhoe, he spent years writing folklore and traditional mythology in Scotland. In this post, we will examine Sir Walter Scott’s life and writings.

A History of Sir Walter Scott

Walter Scott’s Early Years

Historians can link Sir Walter Scott to Smailholm Tower. There, under its looming shadow his family raised him on adventurous tales of heroes and villains. With this tower over his head, he read literature and poetry. This further pushed him into the world of literary titans. Similarly, on the shores of Sandyknowes, Scott honed his gift for storytelling and verse to contribute to litearry history.

Scott was born in Edinburgh’s Old Town on Aug. 15, 1771 to Anne Rutherford and Walter Scott. Scott’s father was a member of the private Scottish society Writers to the Signet. At a young age, Scott contracted polio and lost the function of his leg for the rest of his life. His family later sent him to live with his grandparents near Roxburgshire, which was some 30 miles from Edinburgh. Scott’s Aunt Janet urged him to pursue his literary interests by reciting poetry to him and teaching him to read.

As it has been stated, his grandmother, Barbara, impacted Scott through storytelling. She told him numerous tales of their ancestors and battles between the Scots and the English. In this way, Scott developed an interest in Scottish heritage, ballad writing, and folklore.

Scott’s Literary Years

As he got older, Scott’s interests in epics, poetry, and books about far away voyages did not wain. He attended the University in Edinburgh to study the classics in 1783. In 1786, Scott began to apprentice with his father to become a Writer to the Signet. Scott became a lawyer in 1792. He also translated books into English for his friend who he would open a publishing house with in 1809.

Scott later published a series of poems for the publishing house, including The Lady of the Lake, and Marmion (1808). Soon after, Scott began publishing his Waverly novels after the success of the first. He would continue writing these novels over the years. His literary career continued from there with Rob Roy (1817) and Ivanhoe (1820).

Walter Scott’s Contributions and Death

Scott is known as the father of historical fiction for his works in legend and lore. In creating Rob Roy, Waverly, and Ivanhoe, Scott transcended basic storytelling tropes and created a genre unto itself. Likewise, he injected life into Scottish folktales and history. Scott suffered a stroke in 1831 and passed away on Sept. 21^st, 1832, at Abbotsford. He was buried by his wife in the border town of Melrose.

Other works by Scott

Glenfinlas (1800)

The Lady of the Lake (1810)

Rob Roy (1817)

Ivanhoe (1820)

The Pirate (1822)