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Waverley Characters

Sir Walter Scott

Characters Discussed

Edward Waverley

Edward Waverley, a young British officer who holds his commission in the army of George II of England during the bloody days in 1745 when Charles Edward, the Pretender, is trying to gain the British throne. Through a set of circumstances, he learns of the young Pretender’s cause at first hand; he is Charles’s guest, lives for a time with some of his supporters, and swears allegiance to him. Although charged with treason and stripped of his commission, he finally regains favor with the king, inherits his father’s fortune, and marries the woman of his choice.

Fergus Mac Ivor Vich Ian Vohr

Fergus Mac Ivor Vich Ian Vohr, a famous clan chieftain who supports Prince Charles’s bid for the throne. He is bluff and hearty, as well as formal and courtly, a good politician. When the rebellion fails, he is executed for his crimes against the crown, and the power of the Highland clans is broken.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the Pretender, who, having arrived in Scotland from his exile in France, rallies Highlanders to his cause. He reflects his French court training in the polished, civil manner he shows all those about him. He is ruined when his forces are scattered at the Battle of Culloden.

Sir Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine

Sir Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine, a Scottish nobleman and a Jacobite who introduces Edward to the...

(The entire section is 513 words.)

Bibliography

Daiches, David. “Scott’s Achievement as a Novelist.” In Literary Essays. Edinburgh, Scotland: Oliver & Boyd, 1956. Argues that Scott’s achievements as a novelist, overlooked in the twentieth century, make Waverley and his other novels worth reading.

Davie, Donald. The Heyday of Sir Walter Scott. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1961. Considers some of the factors contributing to the enormous popularity of Scott’s novels in the nineteenth century.

Hillhouse, James Theodore. The Waverley Novels and Their Critics. New York: Octagon Books, 1968. Contains critical reviews of Scott’s novels.

Pearson, Hesketh. Walter Scott: His Life and Personality. New York: Harper, 1954. Presents the novels of Scott as a reflection of himself, his family, and his culture.

Scott, Sir Walter. Waverley: Or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. Edited by Claire Lamont. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Contains an excellent introduction to the historical and narrative background of Waverley, as well as Scott’s notes and prefaces to the novel.

Welsh, Alexander. The Hero of the Waverley Novels. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1963. An interpretation of Scott’s hero, whose behavior is determined by class and who is acted upon by outside forces.

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