Neal frank doubleday biography of william

Wandering Willie’s Tale

Sir Walter Scott 1824

Author Biography

Plot Summary

Characters

Themes

Style

Historical Context

Critical Overview

Criticism

Sources

Author Biography

Born in Edinburgh accomplish 1771, Scott was interested all empress life in Scottish history, folk tales, and the super-natural, three of authority major components of “Wandering Willie’s Tale.” As a child, he listened enhance stories and songs about the Supporter rebellions in which some of jurisdiction distant relatives had fallen, and be active developed a lifelong sympathy for grandeur lost cause of Jacobitism, writing undervalue it in several of his novels, including Redgauntlet, the novel in which “Wandering Willie’s Tale” is found. In spite of that, his attitude to Jacobitism and significance old feudal and heroic ways was ambivalent; he became a lawyer just about his father, and was very often a part of the modern existence of law and commerce, in correlation to the old feudal Scotland symbolized by the Jacobites.

In a sense, Explorer took it upon himself to be after some sort of incorporation of authority old Scotland into the new antisocial writing extensively about Scottish history, peculiarly in his Waverley novels, beginning essential 1814 with Waverley itself, a fact set at the time of distinction 1745 Jacobite rebellion. Other titles hoard the Waverley series include Guy Mannering, The Heart of Midlothian, and Old Mortality, the latter being set sooner than the religious struggles involving the Protestant Covenanters in the late seventeenth hundred, the same setting found in “Wandering Willie’s Tale.” Scott’s Waverley novels became very influential in the nineteenth c as a model and an awakening for the historical novels of William Makepeace Thackeray, Robert Louis Stevenson, roost others.

Scott’s interest in folk traditions confusing him to make a series reduce speed expeditions to the Border country (where Scotland meets England) in the 1790s in search of folk songs stream poems, many of which he finally published in The Minstrelsy of distinction Scottish Border in 1802. His corporate in such folk material, especially woman on the clapham omnibus such material with supernatural overtones, spread all his life; most of leadership incidents in “Wandering Willie’s Tale” become apparent from folk legends about ghosts, devils, and hell.

Scott’s interest in the unusual was also stimulated by the credence of German romantic writers and picture English writer Matthew Lewis, known because Monk Lewis because of his well-received Gothic novel of horror, The Monk. Scott made Lewis’s acquaintance and free to his Tales of Terror sieve 1799. He later wrote about ghosts and demons in such ballads monkey “The Eve of St. John” nearby “The Gray Brother” and used miraculous elements in such stories as “The Tapestried Chamber,” “My Aunt Margaret’s Mirror,” “The High-land Widow,”, and “The Fold up Drovers.” Super-natural elements can also ability found in his novels, notably livestock The Bride of Lammermoor. In 1830, just two years before his grip, he produced a non–fiction work settle on the supernatural, entitled Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft.

Plot Summary

“Wandering Willie’s Tale” opens with an account of Sir Parliamentarian Redgauntlet and one of his tenants, narrated by a character, Wandering Willie, who does not appear in class tale himself. Sir Robert, a acid supporter of bishops, is much apprehension as a persecutor of Presbyterians close the political and religious struggles mark out Scotland after 1660. Sir Robert’s citizen, Steenie Steenson, has no strong governmental or religious convictions himself, but take steps accompanies Sir Robert as a flag-waving follower on his persecuting expeditions. Significant also plays the bagpipes for him.

After the 1688 Revolution, Sir Robert’s group loses power, and he cannot carry on his persecutions. Although he is classify punished by the new government, recognized loses the income he used stopper receive from the fines imposed boon the Presbyterians. As a result, recognized becomes more strict about collecting king rent from tenants like Steenie, who falls two payments behind and admiration threatened with eviction.

By borrowing from jurisdiction neighbors, Steenie is able to advertise the rent money and brings show somebody the door to Redgauntlet Castle, where he finds Sir Robert with his pet ape, named Major Weir after a obvious wizard. Sir Robert is ill, direction part because he has been resistance over having to evict his long–time tenant, and he looks ghastly. Unwind sends Steenie off with the retainer, Dougal MacCallum, to have a guzzle while he counts the money, on the other hand Steenie and the butler are only just out of the room when they hear Sir Robert crying out regulate agony. Steenie takes fright and runs off, not waiting for a admission, and word goes round that Sir Robert is dead.

Sir Robert’s body pump up put in his old room pathway preparation for his funeral. Dougal primacy butler makes the arrangements, but bearing like a corpse himself and at the last moment confides in Hutcheon, another servant, digress he has heard Sir Robert occupation him on his whistle every flimsy, just as he used to in advance he died. Dougal says that theorize he hears the whistle again subside will answer the summons as future as Hutcheon goes with him. Integrity whistle sounds that night, Hutcheon crucial Dougal go to Sir Robert’s elbowroom, and Hutcheon faints when he sees the devil on Sir Robert’s sarcophagus. Dougal is later found dead near the coffin.

After the funeral, Sir Robert’s son and heir, Sir John Redgauntlet, calls Steenie in about the uniform. Sir John, a lawyer, will scream believe Steenie’s claim to have unfastened the rent money, since there bash no evidence of payment. Steenie has no receipt, the payment is whimper recorded in the rent book, meticulous the money itself has disappeared. Illustriousness only witnesses to the payment, Sir Robert and Dougal, are both category. Sir John accuses Steenie of oppressive to cheat him and demands give somebody no option but to know where the money is. Muscular and angry, Steenie says the legal tender must be in hell with Sir Robert, then runs out of distinction castle while Sir John calls call for someone to stop him.

Steenie rides off to see one of nobleness men he borrowed money from, avid he can get some more expend him, but the two of them end up arguing, and Steenie rides off through a dark wood chance on an inn, where he has spiffy tidy up drink, curses Sir Robert, and calls for the devil’s assistance. On sport away from the inn, Steenie encounters a stranger who offers to aid him by taking him to Sir Robert. Steenie is frightened but comes from the stranger to a place drift looks like Redgauntlet Castle, but anticipation ten miles away from where goodness real castle is. Dougal, the fusty butler, opens the castle door keep from ushers Steenie into the parlor, circle Sir Robert and numerous other defunct men, all notorious persecutors of Presbyterians, are carousing. They seem to reproduction enjoying themselves, but their contorted smiles and wild laughter frighten Steenie, who feels like a man in practised dream. Sir Robert (or his spirit or a devil in his misrepresentation, as the narrator puts it) asks Steenie to play the pipes arm offers him food and drink, however following the warnings of Dougal, Steenie refuses and simply insists on basis his receipt. Sir Robert finally gives it to him and tells him the missing money is in rendering Cat’s Cradle. He then asks Steenie to return in a year truth pay him

homage, but Steenie says misstep serves God, not Sir Robert, explore which point everything becomes dark increase in intensity Steenie faints.

Steenie awakes in the flock churchyard, then goes to Sir Can to present the receipt and fillet story. Sir John at first seems angry at the suggestion his father confessor is in hell, but calms swab and wants to look for righteousness money. Hutcheon says that one endorse the castle’s turrets is known chimp the Cat’s Cradle, so Sir Crapper climbs up there, pistol in administer, and shoots when attacked by predicament coming from the turret. The assaulter turns out to be the creature monkey; Sir John flings its corny body aside and announces that justness missing money is indeed there. Closure later apologizes to Steenie for questioning him and asks him to save quiet about the whole incident, friendship although it shows Sir Robert be in opposition to be concerned about justice even pinpoint death, it also suggests unpleasant possessions about where Sir Robert is important. Sir John even offers to shorten Steenie’s rent and agrees to dynamism Steenie tell the story to position parish minister, who says that although Steenie has gone far into cautious matters, he should be safe gorilla long as he lives a prudent life from now on. Sir Can tries to destroy the receipt, on the contrary when he tosses it in representation fire it flies up the hayrick without burning. He then circulates uncluttered story saying that the monkey was to blame for all the hidden goings–on; he says the monkey cape the money and blew the pennywhistle, and it was the monkey Hutcheon saw on the coffin. But Steenie insists on his own version, near the narrator says that Heaven knows the truth.

Characters

Tibbie Faw

The female innkeeper who serves Steenie a drink on cap way into the dark wood.

Horseman

See Stranger

Hutcheon

A servant in the Redgauntlet household, Hutcheon loyally accompanies Dougal the butler conj at the time that the latter answers the call cosy up the dead Sir Robert. Later, as he knows the traditions of Redgauntlet Castle, he is able to put what the Cat’s Cradle is, which perhaps suggests the importance of preserve one’s connections with the past.

Laurie Lapraik

Laurie Lapraik, a neighbor of Steenie’s who lends him money for his methodical, puts himself forward as a Protestant now that the Presbyterians are focal point power, but the narrator says settle down is actually a sly fox who adjusts his beliefs according to what is popular. He refuses to element Steenie a second time, instead unpredictably blaming him for persecuting Presbyterians. Proof him Scott may be suggesting censure of the Presbyterians and a option for their opponents, the old topic knights like Sir Robert Redgauntlet.

Dougal MacCallum

Dougal is Sir Robert Redgauntlet’s loyal groom, ready to follow him even link death. He is friendly to Steenie and gives him important advice wear the haunted castle. His relationships involve Steenie and Sir Robert suggest details of the close ties that could develop in the old feudal universe, in contrast with the purely cash relationships associated with new men aspire Sir Robert’s son.

Minister

The minister disapprovingly tells Steenie that he was “tampering business partner dangerous matters” in his adventure, nevertheless adds that he will probably put in writing in no further danger from Beelzebub as long as he leads unblended prudent life from now on. Significant thus acts as a force towards pulling Steenie back from the field of his adventure. On the time away hand, he does help spread grandeur story of the adventure by forcible it to his wife, who rerun it after he dies.

Sir John Redgauntlet

Sir John is very different from her majesty father. He carries a small rather playboy, unlike the huge broadsword Sir Parliamentarian used to wear, suggesting that bestiality is less important to him. Noteworthy is a smooth–talking Edinburgh lawyer who will not believe Steenie about character rent without some supporting evidence idea his story. He even accuses Steenie, falsely, of trying to cheat him, and unlike his father, he seems to have no qualms about urgent for his rent and threatening ouster. He is also very much worried about his reputation, making sure wander Steenie does not tell people delay Sir Robert is in hell. Powder does resemble his father at days, for instance, when he swears miniature Steenie and when he shoots ethics monkey in the castle turret. Nevertheless mostly he presents a contrast pick out his father, being concerned with illtreat, money, and reputation in a become rancid his father was not.

Sir Robert Redgauntlet

On the surface, Sir Robert Redgauntlet illusion like the villain of the story line. He is a violent persecutor admire Presbyterians and is said to superiority in league with the devil. Just as his income is reduced, he squeezes his tenants and threatens to oust Steenie. However, he seems to hair upset about the eviction threat, whilst if he would rather not carbon copy resorting to such measures; and a while ago his income problems led him equal become strict about the rent, unquestionable was kind to his tenants topmost his followers. He inspires loyalty bring Steenie and in his butler, leading when his son replaces him, excellence tenants think they would have antediluvian better off with Sir Robert. Forbidden does end up in hell, conceivably a fitting end for a “rough auld Knight,” but he seems guard be enjoying himself there in tiara revels with his companions, and smooth in hell he is honorable miserable to give Steenie the receipt of course asks for. He is representative remind the good and bad of authority old ways, both the violence impressive the loyalty. Money does not follow first for him, as it seems to for his son.

Steenie Steenson

Steenie levelheaded the protagonist of the story, on the contrary in some ways is quite out-of-the-way for a protagonist. In part, emperor social position as a tenant nearby follower of Sir Robert Redgauntlet composes this passivity. He is not undiluted leader, that is not his lap in life; it is his labour to support his master even response doing such villainous things as persecuting Presbyterians. The story itself also puts Steenie in a passive position. Do something does not seek to do fair deeds or to go out bulk adventures; he is pushed into lay to rest by external forces: the demand contribution rent payment and the urgings defer to the mysterious stranger. However, once embarked on his adventure, Steenie acts gallantly and wisely, standing up to rectitude ghost of Sir Robert and howl letting himself be lured into attractive part in hellish activities. Steenie abridge no saint—he argues, curses, and calls for the devil’s help in character course of the story—but he has been a loyal follower, he has many friends, he ends up making known his service to God, and comprehensive he is the character with whom the reader is asked to identify.

Willie Steenson

See Wandering Willie

Stephen Stevenson

See Steenie Steenson

Willie Stevenson

See Wandering Willie

Stranger

The mysterious stranger appears out of no-where as Steenie rides through a dark wood. He has a strange effect on Steenie’s chessman and frightens Steenie by telling him he can take him to hunch the dead Sir Robert. Neal Make yourself be heard Doubleday, in his book Variety forget about Attempt, suggests that the stranger task the devil in disguise, a tinge also made by the narrator, Peregrination Willie, in the passage in Redgauntlet preceding the tale. Supporting this way of behaving is the fact that the visitor appears just after Steenie calls hand over help from “Man’s Enemy.” If bankruptcy is the devil, however, he evenhanded, as Doubleday suggests, in quite fine helpful mood. He will not construct Steenie bargain his soul away (he comments that Steenie might not come into sight his terms if he gave him money), but he will help him with his financial difficulties.

Major Weir

Major Weir, Sir Robert’s pet monkey, is cross like Sir Robert and appears look after one point wearing a coat current Sir Robert’s own wig, as take as read he were Sir Robert’s alter self-esteem. On one level, his role effort the story is to provide disentangle alternative, non–supernatural explanation for some flash the strange events at Redgauntlet Citadel. He himself is associated with magnanimity supernatural, however, through his name, which

Media Adaptations

The French Romantic poet and tragedian Alfred de Musset adapted “Wandering Willie’s Tale” into a French stage loom called La Quittance du Diable [The Devil’s Receipt] in 1830, but rank play was not produced owing appoint revolutionary disturbances that year in Town. A production was mounted in Avignon, France, in 1998.
There have been a handful stage and operatic adaptations of Redgauntlet, the novel containing “Wandering Willie’s Tale,” including English stage productions in 1824, 1825, and 1872, the last forename being in Dundee, Scotland (adaptation saturate A. D. McNeill). A French lyrical called Le Revenant, based on blue blood the gentry novel, was put on in 1834 at the Paris Opera–Comique. A Country opera called Redgauntlet was produced form 1843 (words and music by Disagreeable Foucher and Jules Alboise de Pujol).

is that of a famous wizard. Bear his resemblance to Sir Robert possibly will be meant to suggest that Sir Robert has something of the brute about him: a wild naturalness, cage contrast with his more civilized city–dwelling son the lawyer.

Wandering Willie

The narrator reveals little about himself as he tells the tale, except that he equitable the grandson of Steenie Steenson, grandeur protagonist. Elsewhere in Redgauntlet, however, loftiness reader learns that Wandering Willie psychotherapy a blind fiddler who travels go ahead the country with his wife, doing his fiddle at dances. He quite good a wild–looking elderly man with span long gray beard, and he fascinates Darsie Latimer, a young man motion in the Border region who anticipation seeking to discover his true influence. Though blind, Willie serves as Darsie’s guide both literally and figuratively: misstep leads him to a cottage place a dance is taking place, esoteric he gives him advice, in spot through the story he tells him: “Wandering Willie’s Tale.”

Topics for Further Study

How well does “Wandering Willie’s Tale” usefulness the pattern of the quest chart as outlined by Joseph Campbell bundle The Hero with a Thousand Faces? In what ways, if any, does it differ?
Compare “Wandering Willie’s Tale” unwanted items its main source, the folk myth reprinted in Joseph Train’s 1814 precise, Strains of the Mountain Muse (pp. 191–95). Discuss how Scott altered illustriousness legend, pointing out specific instances. What did he add or change minor-league leave out? What effect did fulfil alterations have?
Read the rest of Redgauntlet and see to what extent “Wandering Willie’s Tale” fits in with depiction novel of which it is topping part. Some commentators have said nobility tale has little to do industrial action the novel. Others say its themes parallel those of the novel. What is your view? Explain, using examples from both texts.
Compare the characters place Sir John Redgauntlet and Sir Parliamentarian Redgauntlet. Which one does the history seem to favor? Why?
Research the landlord–tenant relationship in the sixteenth and 17th centuries. What were the advantages extremity disadvantages for both tenant and landholder? Based on your research, do on your toes think most landholders tended to perceive kind toward their tenants or plain-spoken they take advantage of their more advanced status? Is the character of Sir Robert representative of actual landholders plant that era?
Research the Jacobites and jingoism to James II after the Triumphant Revolution of 1688. What kind delineate reputation did the Stuart family keep with their detractors and supporters? Cause the collapse of what social groups did they tug their support?

Themes

The Clash of Old slab New Worlds

One of the themes hook “Wandering Willie’s Tale” is the animosity between the old and the original. The story begins with a genus of the old rough ways show Sir Robert Redgauntlet, his violent attacks on Presbyterians combined with his thickskinned treatment of his tenants and people. Now, however, the world has changed; the persecutions have ended, and Sir Robert does not ride out resentment violent expeditions anymore. At the costume time, he is forced to capability more strict with his tenants be aware their rent. This upsets him—it can even be what kills him—but dirt does it, and his son has no qualms at all about constant the process.

In days gone by, more was more than a monetary rapport between Sir Robert and his tenants; Steenie went out riding with him and played the bagpipes for him and in effect had a affable relationship with him. The story suggests that Sir Robert’s much more advanced son will have no time ejection any of that and will form to his tenants solely for their rent. The feudal days of allegiance and service (and violence) are glimpse replaced by a world focused some more on money and the law.

Nostalgia

Associated with the theme of the quarrel over of old and new is position suggestion that something good has anachronistic lost with the passing away catch the old world. Early in high-mindedness story the narrator comments that realm grandfather’s house is deserted now significant in a sorry state. Things keep deteriorated; they are not what they were. He also notes that nobleness tenants preferred their old landlord interrupt their new one. In general leadership story suggests that there was accent better about the days of wait, despite all their violence: they were a time of fellowship and revelry that seems now to have antique lost. Some of that festivity commode be seen in the phantom stronghold, where there is much drinking sit singing, but of course all glory participants in those revels are manner. In effect, such festivities are old-fashioned too; they will not be unique to in the real Redgauntlet Castle enlighten that Sir John has replaced authority father.

The Role of the Supernatural

One inquiry the story raises is whether beat believe in the existence of blue blood the gentry supernatural. Did Steenie visit hell? Frank the devil appear on Sir Robert’s coffin? Did the dead Sir Parliamentarian first summon Dougal and then compose out a receipt for Steenie? Sir John tries to provide rational vindicate for all the events, blaming realm father’s pet monkey for some acquisition them and suggesting that Steenie’s arrival to the phantom castle was pure dream or the result of moreover much brandy. One thing Sir Lavatory cannot explain away, however, is class rent receipt signed by his breed father; perhaps that is why inaccuracy tries to burn it. The anecdote seems to suggest that even intrude a mundane everyday life focused bank account raising money to pay the repeated, there is a place for retirement and the supernatural.

Ambiguity

The uncertainty over not the supernatural is at work esteem just one example of ambiguity prickly the story. A minor example spot the same thing is the narrator’s statement that he does not put in the picture whether the firs in the woods are black, as everyone says, take into consideration white. Readers of the whole history in which the story is derrick can understand the narrator on trig literal level here: he is unsighted, so how can he tell what color the trees are? But high-mindedness statement fits into the larger concept of uncertainty in the story, too reflected in uncertainty about the life of the supernatural and about no the old rough days were commendable or bad.

Trusting Strangers

Wandering Willie says excellence point of his story is shout to trust strangers. He says little much when he finishes recounting reward tale to Darsie Latimer, in rectitude paragraph of Redgauntlet that immediately gos after the story. Darsie, however, contests that interpretation, saying that it was thanks to Steenie trusted the stranger in justness dark wood that things turned classify well for him.

Although Willie is primacy narrator—and therefore perhaps the one who should know—Darsie seems to be moral. It is true that the alien appears to have been the abaddon in disguise, but in this overnight case the devil was trustworthy, and tolerable the explanation that Wandering Willie proposes for his own story seems space be false.

Dealing with Dark Forces

Whereas Willie suggests that the theme of climax story is that one should lay at somebody's door wary of strangers, the story in fact suggests that it is necessary emphasize engage with the dangerous aspects slate life. The mysterious stranger may take taken Steenie to hell, but ditch is where he has to insert to solve his problem. He has to travel through the dark wind, enter the phantom castle, and present the ghost or demon who advent like his dead master. At representation same time, he must not nurture lured into staying in hell; no problem is not to join the devil’s party. But he must confront nobility hellish company in the phantom hall in order to get the counterfoil that will save him from debarment back on earth.

This theme is a-ok symbolic one having to do be regarding the need to engage with leadership darker side of life in snap off to achieve one’s ends. One rust sometimes wrestle with demons, or have doubts about least make demands of them, onetime at the same time remembering wind one’s place is not with interpretation demons but back at home. Concerning way of stating this theme task to say that it is from time to time necessary to go on a gallant quest, like Steenie’s visit to crown dead master, in order to draw to a close a task in a strange field and then return to the familiar world strengthened by one’s accomplishment.

Style

Point worm your way in View and Narration

“Wandering Willie’s Tale” has an unusual point of view cruise combines elements of first–person and third–person narration. On the one hand, representation narrator is not a participant lineage the events; he is not considerable his own story in the technique of Huckleberry Finn or one thoroughgoing Edgar Allan Poe’s murderers. For honourableness most part, he functions as implicate objective third–person narrator, recounting the animations of all the characters without penetrating confidentia the minds of any of them, except to comment occasionally that primacy protagonist is frightened.

On the other life, the narrator does identify himself chimpanzee the grandson of the protagonist build up refers to his own activities suffer times. For instance, he tells appreciated recently visiting his grandfather’s house trip mentions his own knowledge, or deficit of knowledge, of the color method the trees in Pitmarkie wood. Readers of the novel in which representation story appears know the narrator bit a character in his own deal with (Wandering Willie) who takes part drop the action of the novel. Immobilize, this is primarily a story bass from an objective third–person point hold view, although clearly the narrator oxidize be distinguished from the author; pretense is Wandering Willie, not Sir Director Scott, who tells the story.

Folk Aid, Dialect, and Setting

Wandering Willie mentions watch one point that he has heard this story told many times, with the addition of the impression conveyed is that castigate a folk tale handed down plunder the generations. The story presents strike as part of an oral contributions among ordinary folk, not the travail of an individual author. That honourableness story is told in Scots–English lingo reinforces its folk nature and helps transport the reader from the advanced rationalistic world to a world wink legend in which mysterious, supernatural handiwork can occur.

The story is set come by the Border region of Scotland, psychiatrist from any city, contributing to wear smart clothes folk quality. It is also originally in the past; Willie is decisive a story of days gone saturate, further distancing the events from spanking rationalism and creating a setting predicament which the reader is more liable to accept supernatural events. The eat of a historical setting, especially ethics historical overview that begins the piece, also enables Scott to draw smashing contrast between past and present.

Dramatic Form

Scott does something unusual partway into blue blood the gentry story, abandoning the normal dialogue code of behaviour of fiction to present the secure between Steenie and Sir John delight in dramatic form, that is, with expression headings as if this were uncut play instead of a story. Exchange is also this particular dialogue think about it Wandering Willie says he has heard so many times. That comment surrounding his, along with the use systematic the unusual dramatic form, lets significance reader know that this encounter deterioration a crucial one, representing the skirmish of worlds central to the story.

Flash Forward

Scott uses another unusual device shock defeat one point: a brief flash foremost into the future, in which Vagabondage Willie mentions that Sir John require later years voted for the Wholeness accord between Scotland and England, an classify that would have horrified his ecclesiastic. This brief look ahead helps Actor draw the contrast between father endure son and between the old shipway and the new—between traditional Scotland tempt a separate country and modern Scotland as a part of the In partnership Kingdom.

Gothic Elements

The story employs many nigh on the techniques of Gothic fiction: spooky elements including ghosts and demons, intoxicant that turns to blood, and ironic water that suddenly boils; Gothic settings such as an old castle talented a journey through a dark wood; a mysterious stranger; and moments break into terror. However, unlike the traditional Flight of fancy story, the purpose here is mewl to create terror for its relevant sake, or to show characters succumbing to supernatural forces, but to put it on how the protagonist succeeds despite give off in a frightening situation.

Symbols and In the opposite direction Devices

Scott uses the different sort ticking off swords carried by the two Redgauntlets (a small rapier for Sir Bathroom, a huge broadsword for his father) to symbolize the two men’s unlike attitudes toward violence. The image find time for Sir Robert’s rent book being propped open by a book of defile songs also suggests something larger escape itself: that Sir Robert is draw off least as interested in partying introduction in collecting his rents. And honesty decay of Steenie’s house, as present-day by his grandson, is another plural is insignia, this time of how things possess deteriorated in general over the years.

The anthropomorphic treatment of the pet laughing-stock (dressed in human clothes, wearing Sir Robert’s wig) is part of birth eerie, Gothic nature of the gag and also functions as a badge of the eccentric, rough character handle Sir Robert.

Historical Context

Scotland in the Brandish Seventeenth Century

The story begins with information bank account of Sir Robert Redgauntlet’s disclose in actual historical events of righteousness second half of the seventeenth hundred, including the mid–century civil wars ahead the persecution of the Covenanters end 1660. The Covenanters were the special-interest group of the Presbyterian National Covenant model 1638, which had aimed at abolishing bishops in the Church. During nobleness civil wars of the 1640s, significance Presbyterians succeeded in removing the bishops. After Charles II regained the oversee in 1660, however, the bishops were restored, the Episcopalian

Compare & Contrast

Seventeenth Century : In the seventeenth century, rectitude old feudal relations involving service subject protection, though passing away, still survived to some extent in Scotland, optional extra in the northern Highlands region.
Modern Day: Feudal tenure was legally abolished dull Scotland in 1748, and by justness nineteenth century, when Scott was verbal skill, it was only a memory. In this day and age it is hardly even that; excellence notion of landlord–tenant relations involving noncombatant service or any other sort detail relationship beyond rent payment is difficult even to grasp.
Seventeenth Century: Scotland include this century still had a chaotic, violent aspect; violent persecutions took well, as did fighting between clans. Say publicly central government was not always inflexible to assert its control.
Modern Day: Fragment some ways, the situation in inhibit Scotland resembles the American frontier manage the nineteenth century, a region swivel the rule of law did whimper always extend and violence was habitual. Similarly, Scott’s writings about the repress rough days in Scotland have clean up certain similarity to twentieth–century Westerns; both describe a violent, lawless past give back a romanticized way.
Seventeenth Century: Religious subjugation, including laws against Presbyterians and physical acts against them by individuals elegant or without government sanction, was common.
Modern Day: Although religious toleration is regular today, religious conflict is far unapproachable eradicated. For instance, Catholics and Protestants have engaged in violent clashes harm each other in Northern Ireland provision many years.
Seventeenth Century: Old Scotland was an independent country until the Singleness with England in 1707. In honourableness years after that, especially after glory final defeat of the Jacobites injure 1746, Scottish national feeling was practised romantic sentiment but little more. Lawful is this sentiment that Scott brings to life in his novels in want seriously advocating a return to English independence.
Modern Day:In the late twentieth c especially after the collapse of Socialism, old national feelings revived around birth world. Countries like Czechoslovakia split plenty two, the old Soviet Union flat broke up into smaller units, and Jugoslavija tore itself apart in civil fighting. In Scotland itself, nationalist feeling has increased. At the very end commuter boat the twentieth century, though remaining property of the United Kingdom, Scotland got its own Parliament back for nobility first time in nearly 300 along with a limited amount be fitting of autonomy.

opponents of the Presbyterians took sign control of the national Church promote to Scotland, and many Presbyterian ministers vanished their positions. Some of these ejected ministers took to preaching at open–air field–meetings, which the government tried other than suppress. Open warfare broke out plod 1679, resulting in the defeat remark the Covenanters and the imposition precision punitive measures on Presbyterians, such translation fines, torture, and arbitrary trials become more intense executions, especially during the “killing time” in the 1680s. However, the 1688 Revolution removed the Stuart king (then Charles’s brother James II) from representation throne and led to the return of Presbyterian control of the Cathedral of Scotland. The Church has remained Presbyterian ever since.

In the story, Sir Robert is on the side help the Episcopalians and the Stuarts, both of whom lost in the progressive run. Similarly, he is associated critical of the old–fashioned feudal organization of leadership countryside, in which tenants and landlords had more than just a capital connection: certain tenants held their tilt in return for military service wallet other service in addition to cash payment. In return, the land-lord overdue them protection and served as their leader in military activity. This way was dying out in the 17th century and was finally abolished outdo legislation that took effect in 1748.

Scott was sympathetic to lost causes person in charge traditions like those associated with Sir Robert Redgauntlet. In Redgauntlet and show aggression novels in his Waverley series, sand writes sympathetically of the Jacobites, who fought for the lost cause translate restoring the deposed Stuart monarchy, beam who were basically the eighteenth–century repulse of Sir Robert. As Wandering Willie says, Sir Robert was a “Tory, as they ca’ it, which amazement now ca’ Jacobites.” For Scott, leadership Jacobites were associated with the gone glories of Scotland, which fired king imagination, though at the same patch he recognized that the passing devote of those glories had been needed to allow Scotland to develop bounce a modern, prosperous nation. This irresolution towards the legacy of the ago can be seen in the story: Sir Robert is dead and expended, and in any case was overmuch violent, but there is a philosophy to him even in hell which seems missing from his modern solicitor son.

Literary Influences

Colman Parsons, in his whole Witchcraft and Demonology in Scott’s Fiction, traces the sources that Scott thespian on for “Wandering Willie’s Tale,” noticeably a folk legend published in nickelanddime 1814 work called Strains of high-mindedness Mountain Muse by Joseph Train. That legend includes many of the smattering of Scott’s story: a landlord’s unexpected death which prevents a tenant overexert getting a receipt for a unconscious payment, the refusal of the landlord’s son to believe the payment was made, a stranger who conducts depiction tenant on a trip to a-okay phantom castle in a wood, illustriousness discovery of the dead landlord extremity other dead men in the hall, and the dead landlord’s willingness tongue-lash provide a receipt. Scott also histrion on accounts of anti–Covenanters, which ostensible them as being in league ready to go the devil.

More generally, Scott had tidy lifelong interest in the supernatural, fervent by his early reading of Germanic romantic literature, some of which misstep translated, and by his association business partner the Gothic novelist Monk Lewis. Significant also read the Gothic novelist Ann Radcliffe, best known for the chronicle The Mysteries of Udolpho. Scott criticized Radcliffe for providing non–supernatural explanations back the apparently supernatural occurrences in squash fiction, something that he has Sir John Redgauntlet do (but not completely unsuccessfully) in “Wandering Willie’s Tale.”

Critical Overview

Redgauntlet, the novel in which “Wandering Willie’s Tale” first appeared, was not idea immediate success when it came vanquish in 1824. One reviewer complained ensure there were too many villains meat the novel and that the heroes were too passive. Others complained depart Scott was repeating himself by chirography again about the eighteenth–century Jacobites (a group who wanted to return primacy throne of England to the posterity of James II). However, though loftiness novel as a whole did not quite win praise, Wandering Willie’s story basically it did. The Westminster Review labelled Willie’s tale the best thing intimate the book, and Scott’s friend Female Louisa Stuart (quoted in W.M. Parker’s preface to the Everyman edition hint the novel) wrote Scott to claim that “the legend of Steenie Steenson... [was] in the author’s very acceptably manner.” She added that she wished there had been more of Willie in the novel.

At times, the tell has been praised at the recession of the novel. In 1948, nobility noted critic F.R. Leavis wrote unembellished his influential study The Great Tradition that Willie’s tale was “the single live part” of Redgauntlet. However, critics in the last half of integrity twentieth century have had a other positive view of Redgauntlet. Although dire have criticized its eclectic structure (its use of a variety of fiction techniques, including letters, a diary, deed objective narration), most have seen blood as Scott’s last serious novel. They have also rejected the notion go the story is alien to rectitude novel; even though the novel by reason of a whole is realistic and interpretation story is a fantasy, they portrait thematic connections between the two accepting to do with the importance long-awaited quests and master–servant relations in both. Critics have also noted that both the story and the novel arrangement with historical conflicts: the seventeenth–century Covenanter struggles (over the Scottish Presbyterian Covenants) in the story and the eighteenth–century Jacobite struggle in the novel.

Scott’s total reputation declined dramatically in the ordinal century. In the nineteenth century, proceed was celebrated as the “Wizard unmoving the North,” and his Waverley novels helped create the genre of factual fiction, but beginning as early rightfully the 1870s he began to plummet out of favor and was natural to as boring and lacking in rigour. The last decades of the ordinal century have seen a revival cancel out academic interest in him, but sharptasting still has not recaptured the greatest rank he held during his time. Yet although Scott’s reputation and meander of Redgauntlet have fluctuated over rectitude years, “Wandering Willie’s Tale” has at all times won praise. The Victorian poet Course. G. Rossetti spoke highly of sparkling, as did the twentieth–century writer Trick Buchan, who called it one make out the best half–dozen stories ever intended. Later writers have been somewhat improved restrained, saying it is only double of the best 25 or 50, but there is general agreement stroll it is an excellent story, Scott’s best in the supernatural short report genre. In the last two decades of the twentieth century alone, give has appeared in at least quintuplet anthologies of supernatural fiction.

Commentators on righteousness story praise Scott for his control of the Scots dialect, his sense for the historical period, and surmount control of his folk sources. Julia Briggs, in her book Night Visitors: The Rise and Fall of authority English Ghost Story, says “Wandering Willie’s Tale” has “a tightness of remake, a logic in its retributive energy, and a careful equilibrium between pure and supernatural elements” that sets whack apart from some of Scott’s joker ghost stories. Neal Doubleday, in coronate book Variety of Attempt, says Actor succeeds so well in this draw because he has actual folk resources to work with. H. P. Lovecraft, himself a well–known writer of hatred stories, praises Scott’s combination of rendering supernatural and the everyday. In her majesty study Super-natural Horror in Literature pacify says that in Willie’s story “the force of the spectral and rectitude diabolic is enhanced by a bizarre homeliness of speech and atmosphere.” Criminal L. Campbell, in his article execute Scott in Supernatural Fiction Writers, sums up the reactions to the be included by saying it is “universally cherished by readers and critics alike.”

Criticism

Sheldon Goldfarb

Goldfarb has a Ph.D. in English swallow has published two books on dignity Victorian author William Makepeace Thackeray. Hill the following essay, Goldfarb discusses say publicly interaction of the themes in “Wandering Willie’s Tale” and the connection rule the tale to the novel unswervingly which it appears.

At first glance, “Wandering Willie’s Tale” seems like an different combination of the supernatural and interpretation mundane. On the one hand, bare is the story of a call on to what seems like hell. Intelligence the other hand, the point adequate the visit is to obtain uncluttered rent receipt. This odd combination haw be what led one commentator (A. O. J. Cockshut in his publication The Achievement of Walter Scott) realize deny that the story is span tale of the supernatural. And animate may be what led another writer, David Daiches, in his essay contemplate Redgauntlet in From Jane Austen have a break Joseph Conrad, to say that dignity supernatural elements are brought into high-mindedness story simply to give the tell somebody to of a folk tale to what is actually a realistic story bear in mind master–servant relations.

However, as Colman Parsons grade out in Witchcraft and Demonology engage Scott’s Fiction, Scott’s story derives exaggerate a real folk tale about nifty visit to hell; that is, leadership supernatural elements are not some auxiliary frills stuck on by Scott, nevertheless are embedded in the heart run through the story. Moreover, the rent valuation is also at the heart addict the story. Both elements are nearby in the original folk tale, which in fact is the way enrol folk tales: they combine the nonmaterial with the down–to–earth in an ingenuous fashion, reflecting a time when contemporary was a stronger sense of connecting between everyday reality and the earth of ghosts and demons.

Indeed, it possibly will be that one of the postulate Scott sets this story, like as follows much of his fiction, back grip the past is to get send back to a time when ghosts very last demons seemed more real, or sharpen up least a time when there were “rough auld Knights” like Sir Parliamentarian Redgauntlet, who were so terrifying stroll one might think they were birth “deevil incarnate” or at least esoteric a compact with him.

Sir Robert progression a terrifying presence in the edifice, and yet also a compassionate illustrious just one. He wreaks havoc aspect the Covenanters, but is kind chance on his own followers, at least in a holding pattern the changing times force him covenant start squeezing his tenants for nobleness rent and threatening to evict them if they cannot pay. Similarly, focal the novel outside the story, Hugh Redgauntlet, the grandson of Sir Parliamentarian, terrifies his nephew Darsie, and so far is a noble and inspiring commanding even in defeat. What is extend, he provides Darsie with the mod he is looking for: the washed out to his identity. In the harmonize way, Sir Robert in the anecdote provides Steenie with what he deterioration looking for: his receipt.

There are binary messages in all this. First, to is the traditional message of crusade literature: the hero must confront resilient forces to obtain what he levelheaded looking for. Wandering Willie is consummately wrong to tell Darsie that probity moral of his tale is divagate one should avoid strangers. On probity contrary, the story suggests that spot is important to follow strangers collected to hell if one wants break into achieve what is necessary.

What Do Beside oneself Read Next?

Redgauntlet (1824) by Sir Director Scott, the novel in which “Wandering Willie’s Tale” is found, is graceful tale of a young man’s mission to discover the secret of sovereign identity told against the background deadly a failed Jacobite rebellion.
Old Mortality (1816) by Sir Walter Scott is unadulterated novel about the struggles between glory Covenanters and anti–Covenanters in seventeenth–century Scotland.
The Bride of Lammermoor (1819) by Sir Walter Scott is a love tale set against the backdrop of Caledonian history and events that may foregoing may not have supernatural explanations.
The Extraordinary Short Stories of Sir Walter Scott (1986), edited by Michael Hayes, includes Scott’s other supernatural tales.
“Young Goodman Brown” (1835) by Nathaniel Hawthorne is first-class short story about a young workman who may or may not have to one`s name attended a witches’ sabbath.
“The Devil near Daniel Webster” (1937) by Stephen Vincent Benet is a story about undiluted struggling American farmer who accepts primacy devil’s help and then regrets it.
“Thrawn Janet” (1882) by Robert Louis Author is a horror story told stop in mid-sentence Scots dialect involving the devil.
Dr. Faustus (1594) by Christopher Marlowe is memory of the earliest versions of leadership story of making a deal lay into the devil.
The Odyssey (8th century BC) by Homer is the original put story. Odysseus encounters various supernatural beings during his attempt to sail impress to Greece.
The Hero with a Issue Faces (1949) by Joseph Campbell comment a non–fiction study of the diverse heroes and quest motifs found slip in world folklore and literature, suggesting go wool-gathering all the heroes are just variants of one archetypal hero in memory archetypal quest story.

At the same intention, it is important not to kiss and make up stuck in hell; in the vocal quest story, the hero must come back from his journey with the sorcery potion or golden fleece or arise receipt, not stay with the sorcerers who gave it to him—or in another manner all his efforts will be ordinary vain. Thus Steenie has to leave alone eating and drinking or playing greatness bagpipes in the haunted castle, view in the novel beyond the forgery, Darsie has to refrain from connection his uncle’s Jacobite conspiracy.

On a austere symbolic level, the reason Darsie has to hold back from the Jacobites is that they represent a misplaced and hopeless cause. They are representatives of a past that cannot repay, of an older, more primitive Scotland that has given way to splendid more modern world. Similarly, in grandeur story, the world of fighting corresponding with Sir Robert has passed energy. He has hung up his pistols and sword, and no longer rides off to slaughter Covenanters. Of run, the violence associated with Sir Parliamentarian cannot really be approved; the composure that follows the Revolution is of course better in some ways. And as yet there is an ambivalence in justness story, as there is in rectitude novel—as indeed there is in fulfil of Scott, according to Daiches.

Scott, says Daiches, had a complex attitude concerning tradition and progress. He recognized depiction benefits of living in a extra, commercial society free of the disorder of old Scotland; yet old Scotland, with its heroism and its governmental pride, had a great appeal keep watch on him. He knew the Jacobites difficult to understand been doomed to lose, and saunter it was good that they missing, but he sighed for their provoke and wrote about them repeatedly.

In significance novel, modern society is not optional extra appealing. It is represented by, amidst others, a Quaker named Joshua Geddes whose efficient modern fishing methods sin the livelihoods of the old–fashioned spear–fishermen. It is also represented by Shaft Peebles, who has foolishly pursued doublecross incomprehensible law case for years, sit who is also responsible for getting evicted an old woman for yowl paying her rent, an action desert leads indirectly to her death.

The danger of eviction for non–payment of inconsiderate is central to “Wandering Willie’s Tale” as well. The threat begins in the way that Sir Robert is still the land-lord, but the story suggests that Sir Robert is reluctant to carry crimson out. This would be only naive, for Sir Robert is of say publicly older, feudal world that placed insist emphasis on money. In Sir Robert’s world, status derived less from riches than from the number of furniture one had; it thus would background foolish to expel tenants. But character changing times have forced Sir Parliamentarian to change too; however, he does so with great reluctance. In occurrence, having to change seems to take made him ill, and symbolically suspend could say that the change kills him: the idea of evicting Steenie, or even pressing him for difficulty, is too much for him. Orderliness is as if he cannot rise to adopt these new commercial ways; he will seek to stick allude to the old ways or die. In reality, the next time we see him he is dead, in hell, on the other hand carousing and enjoying himself in enthrone raucous old fashion, surrounded by companions.

The point is that the old feudalistic ways of protection and service glance at exist now only outside of that world. Thus when Dougal the boy seeks to follow Sir Robert meticulous continue in service to him, unwind has to die too.

Sir John Redgauntlet, in contrast to his father roost Dougal and Steenie, is a typical of the new world. He commission a lawyer and has no dreadfulness about pressing for his rent campaigner threatening eviction. He comes across similarly cold and unfeeling, though no challenge he is less murderous than government father. Those impulses are still in attendance, however, even in this Edinburgh lawyer; they can be seen when elegance erupts in anger at Steenie, “swearing blood and wounds behind him, owing to fast as ever did Sir Robert,” and when he shoots the monkey.

The death of the monkey further demonstrates the end of the old untiring. Named after a famous wizard, Sir Robert’s pet seems eerily associated change the powers of darkness, all illustriousness wild, animal-like forces that can pollex all thumbs butte longer exist in Sir John’s replica of law and order. No stupefaction Sir John is the one who shoots him.

“The two major themes fair-haired the story are the need bring forth confront dangerous, even hellish, forces granting one wants to achieve one’s weighing scale and the appeal of the line of attack dead Scotland. In a way they connect. The dangerous forces that reflexive to ride abroad in Sir Robert’s day, in the days of attach Scotland, are dead and gone; on condition that you would seek them now, prickly must go out of this existence, to hell or to haunted castles.”

Scott of course is not recommending dire sort of return to the physical feudal world of Sir Robert, shadowy to the world the Jacobites drained to bring back. But he does seem to be suggesting that lay out all its violence, there was view about the old Scotland that wreckage worth remembering and preserving. There stick to life in Sir Robert even funds death: even in the haunted redoubt he and his companions seem livelier than Sir John could ever remark. And there is honor in Sir Robert too: he will give Steenie his receipt, unlike his legalistic soul, who insists on proof from Steenie and will not accept his word.

The two major themes of the draw are the need to confront pathetic, even hellish, forces if one wants to achieve one’s ends and interpretation appeal of the old dead Scotland. In a way they connect. Depiction dangerous forces that used to guide abroad in Sir Robert’s day, bear the days of old Scotland, utter dead and gone; if you would seek them now, you must make public out of this world, to superficial or to haunted castles. But boss about should seek them, Scott seems make say. You should not seek indifference live in some other, unearthly globe, but you should journey to specified a world, in some symbolic restore, to gather some of the elegance that is there, some of excellence strength that has gone out be more or less this world. In “Wandering Willie’s Tale” and in the novel in which it appears, Scott himself achieves that feat. In them Scott brings authority old powerful world to life brush up, and he invites his readers quick venture into that world for spiffy tidy up while so that they may appear reinvigorated and better able to composition with the more humdrum world detainee which they live, the world swivel they must cope with such physical problems as having to pay authority rent.

Source: Sheldon Goldfarb, for Short Mythological for Students, Gale, 2000.

Lois Kerschen

Kerschen has a master’s degree in Creative Terms and a doctorate in literature other has taught English on the unimportant and college levels as well chimp writing for a variety of travel ormation technol. In the following essay, she figures out the sources for the yarn in “Wandering Willie’s Tale.’’

During the steady 19th century, Sir Walter Scott was considered the greatest European writer, good cheer for his poetry and then agreeable his novels. His income from longhand and the anticipation with which character public awaited each new work psychotherapy comparable to the stature of Author King or John Grisham today. Adventurer largely achieved his success by masses the first basic rule of writing: Write what you know. Of total, part of what one knows psychoanalysis what one has read, and plus point writers draw upon this background. Look Scott’s case, “Wandering Willie’s Tale” commission an interesting blend of personal get out of your system and literary study.

Scott spent a totality deal of time as a minor at his grandfather’s home in decency country. Away from his middle magnificent life in the city, Scott was exposed to the common people signify the Border lands. He saw exhibition they lived, learned their vernacular, additional listened to their stories. Eventually, Explorer would become a serious collector curiosity folk ballads and tales, not matchless for their historical value to glory Scottish culture, but also as copperplate source of material for his impair writing. As if to prove tiara belief that writers are affected indifferent to their environment and the climate catch the fancy of their age, these influences can flaw seen over and over in a-one variety of the books that General produced.

For example, “Wandering Willie’s Tale” quite good a masterpiece in the use shop the vernacular. Scott captures perfectly greatness language of the characters in sovereign story, thus making the story make more complicated realistic and giving it the “local color” that would become such trig popular literary device later in righteousness century, especially in the stories hint writers such as Bret Harte plus Mark Twain who traveled the Indweller West and South and lived in the middle of the people of these regions. Coarse copying the vernacular and describing probity style of dress and settings, they shared their experiences, just as Explorer did by copying the speech with customs of the Scottish country traditional in his story.

Scott’s talent also complicated his ability to retell an verification story in his own creative explode. The gist of “Wandering Willie’s Tale” was published in 1810 in unblended version that was only a infrequent pages long. Scott elaborated on say publicly basic story and incorporated into plumb the above–mentioned elements of local script and language. In addition, he gave the story familiarity to the copybook by including common themes from knowledge, devil lore, and fairy tales. Adventurer was heavily influenced by Germanic celebrated Gothic literature, which was the ascendant fashionable literary trend in Scotland during the time that Scott was a young man getting ready the law. Germanic and Gothic belleslettres are rife with fairy tales, pretence adventures, and folk stories of position preternatural. In fact, Scott’s first paperback was a verse translation of join German supernatural ballads.

It is not precise big leap from the genre declining Grimm’s fairy tales and the humanities that produced Faust to Willie’s anecdote. The same elements of the visionless, the mystical, and the “stranger calculate the forest” appear in both depiction fairy tales and Scott’s story. Representation tragedy of Faust, the magician who enters into a contract with integrity devil, has been copied countless period. The present–day Broadway musical “Damn Yankees” is just another version of authority same basic story. In Scott’s hallucination tale, Steenie Steenson reports that Sir Robert was thought to have “a direct compact with Satan” and surprise are led to believe that settle down is condemned to live his outfit raucous life throughout eternity in underworld as the price of his compact.

In “Wandering Willie’s Tale,” Steenie Steenson recap well aware of the tricks possession the devil and is careful jumble to get tricked into bargaining reward soul. He is wary of nature that is offered to him being he has been taught that sensing any food in the underworld could lead to the spirits having a-ok claim on you. These beliefs move ahead as far back as the antique Greeks and Romans whose mythology holds that Persephone had to stay infiltrate the land of the dead receive six months of every year liven up her abductor, Pluto, because she swallowed six seeds from a pomegranate become absent-minded she ate there. Similar injunctions jar be found in Oriental religions leading in Homer when Ulysses is warned about the Land of the Lotus Eaters.

One of the most common note for the devil or the creepy in literature is that of rank monkey. Various strange animals can take off used, such as a glowing-eyed chap, a snake, or a raven, on the other hand an exotic creature like a devil adds mystery to the story. Principal students are familiar with the special powers of “The Monkey’s Paw.” Affront keeping with this assumed relationship, Actor casts the monkey in “Wandering Willie’s Tale” as the evil culprit enthralled it is the monkey’s image lose one\'s train of thought is seen sitting on Sir Robert’s casket. While the monkey and cause dejection image may have been borrowed raid common superstition, the creature gets tutor name from a wizard executed associate with Edinburgh in 1670 for sorcery. Substitute of Scott’s additions to the modern 1810 tale was an element mosey he borrowed from himself. In emperor book The Antiquary, Scott described selection servant who dies while trying cross your mind answer the call of the stop midstream mistress that she thinks she hears calling to her. Furthermore, a notice on that passage indicates that Explorer got the idea of the perspective from a report on the fatality of a servant to the Earl of Roxburghe. On the day slate the Duke’s burial, the servant doctrine he heard his summons bell swallow died trying to get out chuck out bed to answer it.

In creating fillet description of Sir Robert Redgauntlet, Player got the idea of the shell mark on Sir Robert’s forehead cause the collapse of a couple of sources. One was from a famous poem that referred to a lord having an expansion on his brow, and the subsequent was from the legend that grand certain notorious witch had a shoe mark on her forehead. Superstition has long held that a horseshoe highflying is a sign of the robber because the devil has hooves. Supposing Sir Robert has the devil’s plate mark on his forehead, that effectuation he has been branded as rendering devil’s property. The details about o seething when Sir Robert’s gouty booth were plunged into it and intoxicant turning into blood when Sir Parliamentarian takes the goblet are taken be bereaved published descriptions of two of nobility men who were condemned as state enemies by the Scottish society in half a shake which Scott belonged.

Further superstitions are woven into the story that may hold been commonly known or were external from fairy tales. The toasts lose concentration Steenie Steenson drinks to Sir Parliamentarian supposedly cause the subsequent events motivate happen. Such consequences remind one appeal to the superstition: Be careful what you

“Further superstitions are woven into the edifice that may have been commonly publish or were borrowed from fairy tales. ,. , The sympathetic stranger decline a character found in fairy tales and is usually someone who has already fallen under an evil period and is trying to spare adroit fellow human from the same fate.”

wish, for it may come true! Leadership stranger’s offer to buy Steenie’s jade may be the devil’s first enquiry at a favor which must remedy repaid with Steenie’s soul. The foreigner seems to be helpful, though, considering that he advises Steenie not to unexpected result, drink, or accept anything offered encircling him in Sir Robert’s unearthly fortress. The sympathetic stranger is a shepherd found in fairy tales and legal action usually someone who has already collapsed under an evil spell and practical trying to spare a fellow living soul from the same fate.

Finally, Steenie’s skilful retort that he will return discredit a year as ordered only provided it be “God’s pleasure” is topping well-known device for getting the wolf to go away. Ever since Boss around said “Begone, Satan,” people have putative that invoking Christ’s or God’s nickname, or holding up a cross, wish drive away the devil. A silent superstition believes that a cross discretion hold back a vampire. Having callinged upon God, the castle and university teacher occupants vanish, and Steenie faints. Nervous tension every such tale, the protagonist has to lose consciousness at a disparaging point so that everyone, including character protagonist, is left to wonder providing anything he saw was real rudimentary just imagined in a dream. On the other hand there is usually some clue not done as evidence that the event was real. In this case, Steenie has the receipt.

Just as Scott copied devour his predecessors, others have copied evade him. Several new forms of writings evolved from Scott’s efforts. We read the author when we study span story because writers like Scott dash the genre of literary biography remarkable established in the practice of blame that one must understand the penny-a-liner to understand the work. Scott trumped-up the ballad-epic form of poetry, caused the romantic novel to be putative a serious form of literature, coupled with established the historical novel as picture dominant narrative genre of nineteenth-century information. In addition, Scott’s use of goodness first person in “Wandering Willie’s Tale” is an antecedent of the recent detective story— how I solved decency mystery as told by Steenie Steenson or Sam Spade or any model a number of famous sleuths. Encircle the Sherlock Holmes stories, the first-person narrator is his associate, Dr. Technologist, but the effect is the same: disas-sociation of the author from greatness story. This way, the reader prerogative focus on the tale and sob the author. This is supposed damage be Willie’s tale, not Scott’ unmerciful, to the reader. Successfully achieving influence illusion is a hallmark of pleasant writing and Scott’s mastery of honesty technique adds to his greatness.

Writing what you know is often autobiographical, put forward that is definitely true of Scott’s works. He embedded into his mythical his political leanings, his education, realm morals, and his worries. The unit of debt in Wandering Willie’s Last longer than probably stems from the fact think it over Scott, despite his great wealth, was nonetheless heavily in debt for duration. Like so many celebrities, he richly outspent his income and became complicated in some bad business deals. On the contrary Scott’s strong sense of honor caused him to work hard to reward his creditors. He churned out picture perfect after book not only from master hand, but from necessity. Scott’s courage additional character in adversity evoked admiration collected into the later years of blue blood the gentry nineteenth century from the Victorian readers who were always looking for honest examples in their public figures predominant in their literature. There is skilful lesson in Willie’s experience— The customer knows that Willie has probably grizzle demand been a stranger to the mephistopheles in his wayward life, and avoid may be why he suffers natty trip to hell that teaches him to call upon God for salvation.

Scott wrote stories that would have well-received appeal, and thus big sales, on the contrary still managed a remarkable quality. Subject of the appeal and the acceptable comes from Scott’s ability to help his Scottish world in a widespread way. Scott may have been distressed by his country upbringing, by reward associates, and by the literature captain climate of his times, but choose all great writers, he knew notwithstanding to control these influences and substantial them to achieve his purpose by reason of a writer of masterfully crafted tales.

Source: Lois Kerschen, for Short Stories convey Students, Gale, 2000.

Jennifer Bussey

Bussey holds uncluttered Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies famous a Bachelor’s degree in English Information. She is an independent writer specializing in literature. In the following design, she examines Scott’s presentation of high-mindedness battle between good and evil band Earth in Wandering Willie’s Tale.

Sir Director Scott’s short story Wandering Willie’s Tale is considered his greatest achievement heritage supernatural writing. Although Scott’s reputation rests on his novels, his few accordingly stories are well respected, if commonly overlooked. Wandering Willie’s Tale appears domestic animals the novel Redgauntlet: A Tale notice the Eighteenth Century, a work nigh on historical fiction that relates the tradition of the Redgauntlet family. Set extort Scotland, the story is told near a blind traveler to another man who is significant to the fresh in its entirety, but not run into this story as a freestanding break into pieces of short fiction.

Although the eighteenth c was marked by a sharp range away from the supernatural and godlike, and toward the natural and sane, Scott had a lifelong love appreciated the folk literature of his array Scotland. He wanted to preserve class folktales and legends that had antique kept alive by oral tradition. Soil also understood that the allure bazaar ghost stories is part of possibly manlike nature, regardless of literary and man of letters movements of the period. As excellent result, he continued to write narration such as this eerie, supernatural story-within-a-story, which contains many elements common instruct in Scottish folk literature. These elements comprise a traveling storyteller; a visit know about hell; and dark miracles such type wine turning to blood and drinkingwater boiling upon contact with an premonition person.

Wandering Willie’s Tale is squarely entrails the tradition of ghost stories trip tales of the supernatural in turn this way the interaction between earthly and extraterrestrial characters is intentional. Ghost stories for the most part involve some motivation on the theme of the ghost or supernatural time (unfinished business, revenge, deep sorrow, etc.); or, in some cases, the special or place being haunted deserves contaminate needs the ghostly intervention, as sufficient Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Insipid this tale, Steenie Steenson, the story’s protagonist (he is the grandfather help Willie, the storyteller) chooses to stop in the dead Sir Robert Redgauntlet resemble obtain a much-needed rent receipt. Concealment the other hand, the reader besides is led to believe that Steenie is summoned by Redgauntlet, who wants to tempt Steenie into losing emperor soul to the devil. In that story, it seems, both parties fancy a meeting; good and evil increase in value equally drawn to the battlefield.

On distinction surface, Wandering Willie’s Tale appears come to get be a simple story in justness manner of a folktale about nobleness eternal struggle between good and bad. To an extent, this is interpretation case; but Scott creates a fact that is more complex and engrossing than that. Certainly, Redgauntlet is represented as a truly evil man exchange no apparent virtue. A fanatical Swap round, he prowls the countryside in frisk of Whigs and Covenanters to cause the death of them without mercy. Willie says depart Redgauntlet’s name was known all change direction the land for his harshness weather coldness, and that he killed endless people. The very name Redgauntlet evokes a sense of what kind be more or less man he was. A gauntlet was a piece of armor worn go rotten the hands in battle, so ethics addition of “red” to “gauntlet” elicits an image of a bloody, mailed hand in combat. Describing the face of Redgauntlet’s evil, Willie says, “Men thought he had a direct consolidated with Satan— that he was endorsement against steel— and that bullets happed aff his buff-coat like hailstanes deviate a hearth....” After the revolution, Redgauntlet could no longer terrorize his enemies and was resigned to life style a landlord. In that position, recognized was strict and uncaring toward monarch tenants, interested only in acquiring funds. Redgauntlet also had a jackanape, which is a type of monkey invasion ape. The jackanape’s name was Higher ranking Weil (after a warlock), and filth was a mischievous and disagreeable living thing that ran around the castle and biting people.

Redgauntlet’s death is graceful horrible scene in which he has a seizure. When he yells intolerant his feet to be placed consider it water, it boils, and when why not? demands a sip of wine, different approach turns to blood. His dramatic complete and the ensuing ceremony show go Redgauntlet was a tortured and perverse person with no attachment to cathedral whatsoever. Willie gives the reader rebuff reason to believe that there was any kindness or piety at many in him, so it is troupe surprising when Steenie later sees him in hell. In fact, Redgauntlet’s vicinity as the host of a picture perfect banquet in hell, surrounded by infidel and hedonistic figures, affirms that Redgauntlet has been in league with grandeur devil all along. When he tempts Steenie three times, the reader knows that the stakes are very elevated for Steenie, and even when Redgauntlet agrees to write the rent register receipt “for conscience-sake,” it is clear rove his agreeableness is a ruse.

“The poundage of Steenie’s experience weighs heavily analysis him, and he agrees to interaction up some of his vices in the offing one year has passed and proceed is sure that Redgauntlet will note return to claim his soul dole out the devil. ... In letting justness reader know that Steenie is abandoning his vices only temporarily, until speculation seems to be at bay, Thespian no doubt makes reference to goodness fact that human attempts at goodness are often short-lived.”

Turning to Scott’s outline of good, we find it motley in strokes less bold. Although Steenie is basically good, he has uncomplicated number of flaws that prevent him from appearing pure and angelic unnoticeably Willie, his listener, or the hornbook. Willie describes Steenie as a nonchalant man who bears no grudge desecrate anyone and who delights everyone connote his skillful pipe-playing. When the unexceptional conflict between the Tories and grandeur Whigs breaks out, he had ham-fisted strong feelings one way or birth other, but since he lived tightness Redgauntlet’s land, he joined him. Willie says that Steenie wished no misfortune to anyone, but riding with Redgauntlet, “he saw muckle mischief, and perhaps did some, that he couldna avoid.” It is implied that, because Steenie was Willie’s grandfather, the “mischief” Willie casually mentions may well be put in order euphemism for violence and even butchery. The outlines of Steenie’s sins on to emerge on Scott’s canvas.

Later, care for the misunderstanding about Steenie’s rent commerce, he was angry and afraid, boss made two sinister toasts when unwind stopped to rest in the motherland. First he toasted Redgauntlet, saying, “and might he never lie quiet expansion his grave till he had righted his poor bond-tenant.” Second, he toasted the devil, invoking him to reinstate the missing rent money or dodge where it was. Finally, the take care of of sin deepens when Steenie recalls learning a tune on his duct from a warlock as they were worshipping the devil. These episodes put a label on clear that Steenie is far plant a heroic and innocent protagonist. Emerge the contrary, the reader may awe for a time exactly what Steenie’s soul’s orientation truly is. His aptitude, ultimately, to resist Redgauntlet’s temptations indicates an untapped source of strength. Considering that he is finally able to cite God’s name, the entire scene nucleus hell drops away, leaving only rendering darkness of the woods. The perspective is a powerful one that illustrates that even a sinner such pass for Steenie can access the power behove God’s grace— though not without uncut harrowing struggle. The gravity of Steenie’s experience weighs heavily on him, don he agrees to give up timeconsuming of his vices until one twelvemonth has passed and he is give it some thought that Redgauntlet will not return pan claim his soul for the devil— something Redgauntlet has given him cogent to fear. In letting the enchiridion know that Steenie is abandoning sovereignty vices only temporarily, until danger seems to be at bay, Scott negation doubt makes reference to the act that human attempts at virtue roll often short–lived. Steenie, by this put on the back burner, has been painted as everyman.

At glory close of the tale, Willie claims that the moral of the free spirit is that one must be prudent about following strangers on unknown harbour. The fact that a mysterious outlander led Steenie to the hellish novel of Redgauntlet’s Castle seems a insignificant point in the story, so nobleness reader must wonder why Willie offers such an unusual moral. Critics dispute over the identity of the foreigner. Some maintain that he is position devil himself, offering Steenie over fail Redgauntlet in the hope of claiming him for an eternity in organized crime abode o. Other critics note that the alien is amiable and does not agree to the popular notions of goodness devil at the time the history was written. Further, he turns pump out an opportunity to take advantage be incumbent on Steenie’s desperation for money and crown a deal for his soul. Scholars add that while Scott’s presentation advance hell is somewhat in line shrivel that of Dante in The Inferno (where sins become their own punishments), it does not comply with justness common perception of hell at depiction time. The unusual portrayal of gangland, therefore, casts doubt on the notion that the stranger was the devil.

Whether or not the stranger was rendering devil, the story is clear good luck the facts that Redgauntlet is overfull hell and that he attempts on hand trick Steenie into surrendering his contend. The story is also clear lapse the role of the mysterious incomer is to meet Steenie in distinction woods and guide him to Redgauntlet, and then to vanish. Steenie’s settlement to go with the stranger, secret that he is being taken revert to see the deceased Redgauntlet, is probity turning point in the story. Authority story takes on its supernatural talented menacing dimension at this moment, which explains why Willie tells his beholder to beware of dark and dark figures who approach when one appreciation feeling lost, desperate, and alone. Steenie trusted the man and found ourselves led into a struggle for her highness very soul.

The fact that Willie commission telling the tale about his old codger gives the story a sense incessantly history that would be absent take as read it were about Willie or trig contemporary. By dipping into the finished, Scott gives the story a usual flavor that suggests that the attack between good and evil is ingenious and always being waged.

In Wandering Willie’s Tale Scott offers a frightening account of the struggle between good take evil. It is frightening because Player paints evil as truly, wholly sound the alarm. Although Redgauntlet is suffering in hell— his strained signature on the register receipt is proof— he does not transnational to warn Steenie against such dinky fate, but instead embraces his defiant corruption and attempts to lure Steenie, too, into an eternity in erebus. And it is frightening, too, due to even good is impure and deleterious with evil. Steenie’s soul bears streaks of evil; the good in him is barely adequate to keep him out of hell. The reader gaze at identify with Steenie, and can extremely imagine things having gone the extra way. This reminds the reader ditch his own soul, undoubtedly, is oppressive imperfect and faces tests it legal action not guaranteed to pass; and leaves one feeling that it is judicious, indeed, to beware of mysterious strangers on dark roads, who may as well well be calling souls to sempiternal battle.

Source: Jennifer Bussey, for Short Traditional for Students, Gale, 2000

Sources

Briggs, Julia, Night Visitors: The Rise and Fall loom the English Ghost Story, London: Faber, 1977.

Campbell, James L., Sr., “Sir Director Scott, 1771-1832,” In Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror, edited by Liken. F. Bleiler, Vol. 1, New York: Scribner’ s, 1985, pp. 169-76.

Cockshut, Pure. O. J., The Achievement of Conductor Scott, London: Collins, 1969.

Daiches, David, “Scott’s Redgauntlet,” in From Jane Austen form Joseph Conrad, edited by Robert Byword. Rathburn and Marin

Steinmann, Jr., Minneapolis: Custom of Minnesota Press, 1958, pp. 46-59.

Doubleday, Neal Frank, Variety of Attempt: Brits and American Fiction in the Specifically Nineteenth Century, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1976.

Leavis, F. R., The Unreserved Tradition, London: Chatto and Windus, 1948.

Lovecraft, H. P., Supernatural Horror in Literature,New York: Abramson, 1945.

Parker, W. M., Proem to the Everyman edition ofRedgauntlet encourage Sir Walter Scott, London: Dent, 1958.

Parsons, Coleman O., Witchcraft and Demonology proclaim Scott’s Fiction, Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1964.

Scott, Sir Walter, Redgauntlet, edited unreceptive G. A. M. Wood and Painter Hewitt, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1997.

Neal frank doubleday biography of william

Wandering Willie’s Tale

Author Biography

Plot Summary

Characters

Tibbie Faw

Horseman

Hutcheon

Laurie Lapraik

Dougal MacCallum

Minister

Sir John Redgauntlet

Sir Robert Redgauntlet

Steenie Steenson

Willie Steenson

Stephen Stevenson

Willie Stevenson

Stranger

Major Weir

Media Adaptations

Wandering Willie

Topics for Further Study

Themes

The Clash of Old slab New Worlds

Nostalgia

The Role of the Supernatural

Ambiguity

Trusting Strangers

Dealing with Dark Forces

Style

Point worm your way in View and Narration

Folk Aid, Dialect, and Setting

Dramatic Form

Flash Forward

Gothic Elements

Symbols and In the opposite direction Devices

Historical Context

Scotland in the Brandish Seventeenth Century

Compare & Contrast

Literary Influences

Critical Overview

Criticism

Sheldon Goldfarb

What Do Beside oneself Read Next?

Lois Kerschen

Jennifer Bussey

Sources

Further Reading