PS 'Wild' Highlanders and 'Civilised' Lowlanders - Sir Walter Scott's Romantic Novels from a Cultural Studies Perspective

PS 'Wild' Highlanders and 'Civilised' Lowlanders - Sir Walter Scott's Romantic Novels from a Cultural Studies Perspective

Sir Walter Scott is often seen as a major contributor to (or perhaps the founding father of) the literary genre of the modern historical novel. While those of his characters who stem from the lower classes often seem very vivid and round, his more aristocratic figures appear to be rather flat and stiff. In addition, many of his works are set in a Scotland divided between 'underdeveloped' Highlands and 'civilised' Lowlands (see Rob Roy, Old Mortality or Waverley). His novel Quentin Durward has a different geographical setting but integrates a relevant Scottish context. In this seminar, we will be looking into these (and other) characteristics of his novels from the perspective of Cultural Studies, paying special attention to phenomena such as Caledonian Antisyzygy, Highlandism and Jacobitism. Note: Before our seminar starts, please make sure that you have read at least two out of the four novels mentioned above.