Walter Scott: The Geography Of Imagination In Waverley

 

 

A week spent in Edinburgh pouring over material relating to Scott’s narrative themes and styles has yielded information which I’m hoping to put to good use in my thesis. Right now, I’ve decided to blog about the feature repeatedly discussed by academics- setting. Scott fans clamoured after the majestic and evocative Highland settings conjured by his lavish prose. The descriptions were considered radical at the time- it gave the reader a sense of actually being present at the very scene. Yet there was a psychological element to this treatment of scenery that goes quite unnoticed earlier in the novels, yet becomes more evident as the novel progresses. Waverley is the perfect example of this. Not only does the narrative of the setting serve a visual purpose; it also charts the mental progress and development of the main character Edward Waverley as he grapples with his true identity (Millgate, 38). His time spent at Waverley Honour, Tully Veolan and Glennaquoich are imminently important in his psychological development as a man and discovering his true identity.

The environment of Waverley Honour is fraught with traditional pride and in the case of its young heir apparent, fond indulgence. Sir Everard Waverley and his sister Lady Rachel’s infatuation with their ancestors and the medieval chivalric past is directly inherited by their young nephew, whose education they are responsible for. He is permitted to indulge himself in reading of any kind, completely devoid of restriction. For Edward Waverley, this allows him licence to immerse himself in novels of medieval romance, where the code of chivalry, romantic daring and reckless adventure dominates the narrative- in short, his education is based entirely on his own interests, “so long as it afforded him amusement” (Scott, 14). This mode of education is implied by the author from the beginning to leave the hero of the narrative vulnerable and naive and devoid of “better discipline” which would have equipped him with the ability to make rational choices not based on an “inflamed” imagination (Scott, 14). His wild, roaming imagination is perfectly characterized by his isolated surroundings at Waverley Honour, his “favourite haunt[s]” being the “extensive…forest grounds” or “cliffy and wooded pass” which make up the “savage character” (Scott, 19) of his uncle’s estate. This bold description of an untamed wilderness perfectly characterizes Edward’s yet-untamed imagination. It is the first of several geographical locations that characterize his personal development, but one of the most important, as it is pivotal in embedding an excessive romantic nature into his character which will later lead him into danger on his travels in Scotland.

Glennaquioch displays Waverly’s heightened romantic imaginings at its most wildly impetuous. Probably the most poignant scene is that in the glen, where Waverley listens to Flora’s recitation. There is a method to Flora’s choice of location, which she herself frankly admits, “a Highland song would suffer…were I to produce it without its wild and appropriate accompaniments” (Scott, 118). She purposefully chooses a glen with an appearance of a “sylvan amphitheatre” with a “romantic waterfall…that corresponds with beauty” (Scott, 117). “Mossy banks of turf” complete this scene of “romantic wildness” (Scott, 117). Flora is already aware of Waverley’s romantic disposition; she calculates the impact this will have on him. She is proved correct. Waverley in enamoured with the surroundings-and with her. However, there is a very real danger. Flora is not deceptive in the malicious sense, but rather self-deceptive. The scene in the glen is her effectively acting out her own fantasy of patriotism which she wills with all her heart to come to fruition (Millgate, 49). She is determined to lead a life of romantic extremes, with a brilliantly executed performance from start to finish. Therefore, the faith Waverley places in both her and her brother is effectively a blind faith that falls away towards the novel’s conclusion when he gains a sense of reality. He cannot be as extreme as them- he is an antiquarian, not a martyr of the romantic.

The location of Tully Veolan, the Bradwardine residence, is complex as it encompasses every stage of Waverley’s romantic leanings and eventual disillusionment with its excess. When Waverley initially arrives in Tully Veolan to visit Baron Bradwardine, he immediately assesses it by a gothic and sensationalist standard. He critically deems the turret to be more a “pepper-box” than a “Gothic tower”, and concludes it a “monastic illusion” that suits his “fancy” (Scott, 39). In this chapter we can see how everything that surrounds Waverley passes through the romantic filter of his naive vision, showing a lack of practicality and acceptance of the ordinary. His next visit to Tully Veolan is under very different circumstances-he is there with a warrant for treason hanging around his neck. Kept in an enclosed, dark area, he does not immediately realise he is in Tully Veolan. He is in almost complete darkness, due to his surroundings and also as a consequence of his fever, so he cannot decipher where he is. Kept in his “cage” of a bed (Scott, 359) which is sealed with planks at the side to prevent vision, Waverley’s circumstances are very different to the lively social atmosphere of his former visit. In such circumstances, it is rather a culture shock to learn that his name, that he wore like a badge of honour, is of no use to him (Millgate, 44). Still, his psyche wildly grasps at anything gothic he can glean from his situation. His nurse is a “Highland sibyl”, the young lady (who is actually Rose Bradwardine) who visits him an “angel…guarding…the couch of his sickness” (Scott, 360). It would appear even the charges of treason have not yet given him enough practical perspective. However, his third visit to Tully Veolan finally opens his eyes and give him incentive to act with the practical precision that those around him require. Due to the recent conflict, Tully Veolan is in ruins and Waverley is horrified to find the picturesque place he so loved falling away to nothing. However, it is the unwavering kindness which Baron Bradwardine shows him upon this third visit that steels him with righteous determination to put events to rights (Millgate, 46). This newfound sense of moral purpose signifies the conclusion of Waverley’s personal progression- Tully Veolan is a symbol of him coming full circle from naive inexperience to mature understanding.

Such is Waverley’s education, an education mapped by each place he has resided. Each place had its own trials and lessons which Waverley endures and matures psychologically as a result. Thus the novel concludes with a certainty of who he is and where his place in the world ought to be.

 

Works Cited

Scott, Walter. Waverley Or Tis Sixty Years Since. Oxford: University Press, 2015.

Millgate, Jane. Walter Scott The Making Of A Novelist. Edinburgh: University Press, 1984.

Walter Scott Image. Google Images. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Scott&gt;

Waterfall Image. Google Images. <http://http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/map/grey-mares-tail-burn-galloway-forest-park/&gt;

Textualities 2016: A Conference Contemplation

After all the preparation, its a little hard to believe its all over, perhaps a little deflating, truth be told! The prospect of a conference was daunting and nerve-racking- I think we were all of one mind on that score. Giving a coherent and timely presentation on a topic relevant to our thesis subject sounds fairly straightforward but the precise attention to detail, timing and layout would strongly beg to differ. Add the responsibility of a website (in the case of Sara, Hawraa, Cliodhna and I) and it leaves you with a fairly pronounced sense of its importance.  After weeks of tense preparation, the 4th March dawned and the Western Gateway Building awaited in its forbidding form…….

 

 

 

Only it wasn’t so threatening after all! We arrived early to make sure our presentations were uploaded and in working order for the day ahead. The room was small with a nice comfortable atmosphere and it served to alleviate nerves a great deal.We busied ourselves with setting up our laptops, as we were going to live-tweet and blog about the various presentations throughout the conference. After the scramble for electric sockets, we took our seats and waited for the conference to begin. Our guests included lecturers, friends and family members, which added to the sense of a warm, supportive setting. So, with everything in place, the conference commenced at 9:30.

We were divided up into panels; each panel had a speaker that introduced each of the presentations and conducted “question time” after the panel had concluded their topics. “Question Time” would then follow the presentations-anybody present was free to ask questions about the respective topics. The panel was seated in a group whilst receiving these questions. I was on Panel Two, and our speaker was Maria Manning. The minute our panel was announced, it was a tense few minutes for me, anxiously distracting myself with Twitter until I was called to speak!

 

 

My topic was the heroic figure and its preservation and representation in literature in the various genres down through the years. I was originally going to stick to the texts I am examining for my thesis, but I thought some background on the significance of the heroic figure was vital to emphasize the significance of the character in fiction. It is not simply a figment of literature but of variations of cultural influence and taste from the past to the present. It is such a complex figure, a seemingly stoic mould that was broken down and subjected to contemporary experimentation- which is what makes Scott and Woolf’s take on the figure so important, as they are both from two completely different genres of literature style and their opinions of the matter show the gulf of progression and change.

I enjoyed “Question Time”, as it was interesting to get the reaction of your audience to your work-also, as our topics were largely connected to our thesis titles, it was vital in the sense of getting feedback from our lecturers in relation to our ideas and the direction they were going. Regarding the range of topics covered in the conference, it was extensive and the originality of each presentation was amazing . From Beowulf to Shakespeare to Scott to Bronte to W.H.Auden to Akira to John Malkovich-the list was endless. The enthusiasm shone through, completely engaging the audience from start to finish and making it a very enjoyable experience.

Overall it was a wonderful afternoon. I would definitely say I have gained far more confidence in public speaking and presentation skills. Thus concludes my first conference experience. Pecha Kucha? No bother!

Does Bohemia Still Exist?

As a lifelong fan of Stephen Fry, any of his interviews, address, comedy sketches or debates impress themselves on my mind as singularly magnificent pieces of rhetoric. However, recently I found myself repeatedly watching one particular piece of footage. In 2011, he addressed a gathering of students at the Oxford Union. His impassioned account of the life of Oscar Wilde was riveting to listen to, but his closing comments were an ode to Bohemia, “the land you should never ever leave”. It left me contemplating the actual meaning of the term “Bohemia”. Good old Wikipedia will offer you the most basic summary of the culture it is founded on- Bohemianism. “The practice of an unconventional lifestyle, involving musical artistic or literary pursuits”.

But does Bohemia, as a place, exist? In Fry’s speech, he seems to argue that such a place exists in the living space of the mind, that which drives creativity and freedom of thoughts. That said, it doesn’t mean that artistic innovators didn’t attempt to create an actual, physical manifestation of their liberal train of thought. With every generation of Bohemian culture, came an attempt to form a community whose society would thrive entirely on the principles of liberal art and life practices. Montmartre in Paris, the darling of the Belle Epoque, was a thriving community of art, music and literature. Artists such as Cezanne, Toulouse Lautrec and Van Gogh found a haven in which they could experiment with  groundbreaking art subjects and techniques (Frey, 4). However, by the end of the mid 1890s, this idyllic vision shattered with the commercialization of the Moulin Rouge, the centrepiece of Montmartre’s revolutionary aesthetic. Hardly twenty years later, London and Charleston in Sussex made a claim for the title of the Bohemian capital, as the homes of the Bloomsbury Group. According to Kate Whitehead, the group appeared to thrive on the concept of a community; the choice of Bloomsbury as a name would suggest so as it evoked an aesthetic of place (Blair, 813). Their position in society as a widely famous artistic circle seemed to cement the opportunity for a thriving bohemian sect to blossom in the west London district of Bloomsbury, or Charleston where the group later put down more permanent roots. Unfortunately, the deaths of various original members and a loss of focus on Bloomsbury as a body meant such aims fast faded. The worldwide resurgence of bohemian culture in the 1960s seemed to assure a physical sphere for the arts would soon exist. Greenwich Village came to prominence as an artists’ haven during this period, notably home to poets from the Beat Movement such as Allen Ginsberg (Greenwich Village Society For Historic Preservation, ONLINE) . However, once more the notion of a cultural capital died down with the disillusionment of the revolutionary aspect that had spearheaded the movement.

Moulin Rouge, Montmartre 1900

Stephen Family Home, Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury Plaque

Greenwich Village, 1960s

Still, the point of the matter remains that these cultural hubs existed. For landmark artistic development there was a physical thriving locale, however temporary. They offered an aesthetic of the kind of communities artists sought to flourish within. Perhaps most importantly, the very presence of these communities gave the assurance of support to artists, the comfortable knowledge of a united front for their cause. To this end, they were very public. Is there such a place for artists today? An area that loudly proclaims itself first and foremost an artists’ dominion, a haven for its residents to experiment with and further their talents? The answer is most likely to be no. The closest resemblance to an artist’s community at the present day is Hollywood, which can never quite portray the liberating spirit that pioneered their forerunners as they are primarily a commercial enterprise. Commercial is dictated by what is popular, and does not represent the communal spirit of art. Lyotard hints about the dangers of exchanging art for the mechanical and modern  (Lyotard, 143-144); therefore  Hollywood as purely a neutral celebration of the aesthetic  stumbles due to its heavy emphasis on film as a commodity rather than an art.

In a world with more avenues for artistic endeavour than had previously existed, it seems astonishing that a community that offers a haven to devotees of the arts has not made itself known.  Benjamin’s examination of mass production concentrates on film possessing a faster method of reaching its audience physically and psychologically. This is an example of the modern day.  Surely when art forms are within easier reach than they have ever been, it offers ample opportunity for establishing an art capital? Then again, when art reaches the masses in such an immediate form, it detracts from the need of a gathering in a particular area. In each of the revolutionary art phases of the previous decades, a community of the arts was founded on a need to be in that particular place. More often than not, cities held the keys to artist society, thus people would travel to be there and these trademark communities were created.

Maybe this once more goes back to what Mr Fry spoke of.  We each create our own Bohemia through the life of the mind with the information we possess, our own world of liberal ideals that manifests itself in our artistic creations. Nevertheless, you cannot but help musing with some nostalgia at the past, when the art capitals of our imagination actually took form and, for however short a time, were upheld as a dream that became reality.

Works Cited

Stephen Fry-Full Address. YouTube. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IporlmXXDeY&gt;

Village History. The Greenwich Village Society For Historic Preservation. <http://www.gvshp.org/_gvshp/resources/history.htm#bohem&gt;

Frey, Julia. Toulouse-Lautrec: A Life. London: Weidenfield & Nicholson, 1994.

Blair, Sara. “Local Modernity, Global Modernism: Bloomsbury And The Places Of The Literary”. EHL Vol. One No.3 (Fall, 2003). Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2003. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/30029943&gt;

Modernism/Postmodernism. Peter Brooker (ed). Essex: Pearson Education, 1992.

Moulin Rouge, Montmartre. Google Images. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulin_Rouge&gt;

Bloomsbury Group Plaque In Bloomsbury, London. Google Images. <http://openplaques.org/plaques/1972&gt;

House Of The Stephen Family. Google Images. <http://www.londra.us/Bloomsbury_Holborn_Fitzrovia.html&gt;