Reading Waverley
Thursday 15th May 2015
Summary of the Talk:
Jenny Calder discussed her lifelong engagement with Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley, which she first read as a teenager. She explored how Scott’s novel served as both a thrilling narrative and an introduction to Scottish history—particularly the Jacobite risings. For her, Waverley was a gateway into Scottish identity and heritage, especially meaningful since she didn’t grow up in Scotland.
Calder examined Scott’s dual role as storyteller and historian. Unlike oral tradition, which conveys history through narrative alone, Scott felt compelled to explain and contextualise the past for his readers. This makes his novels dense by modern standards, but also rich in detail and interpretation. She contrasted this with Hilary Mantel’s more immersive historical fiction, which embeds interpretation in narrative rather than using an overt authorial voice.
The talk also considered Scott’s influence on 19th-century literature—impacting writers from Dickens and George Eliot to Tolstoy and Fenimore Cooper. Calder noted that Scott’s method of historical fiction helped other nations, like America, define their origin stories.
Despite his popularity in the 19th century, Scott’s readership declined in the 20th. Calder reflected on how her own education largely ignored him—aside from Ivanhoe, taught without context. She argued that Scott’s work, wrongly dismissed as overly romantic or verbose, remains rich, complex, and deeply relevant today.
Scott’s fiction is a response to the rapid societal changes of his time—urbanisation, industrialisation, and the erosion of old ways of life. His novels aim to preserve vanishing traditions without resisting progress. Abbotsford, his home, was a physical extension of this mission: a curated collection of Scotland’s cultural past.
Turning to Waverley itself, Calder unpacked the novel’s structure, characters, and emotional tension. Edward Waverley’s journey—from naive English outsider to disillusioned participant in the 1745 rising—provides a lens through which readers experience Highland life. Calder praised the vivid descriptions, especially the Battle of Prestonpans, which balances romanticism with brutal realism.
She then discussed her own adaptation. Her goal was to make Waverley more accessible to modern readers. This involved:
- Trimming dense prose and background exposition
- Removing literary allusions and excessive punctuation
- Keeping all Scots words (aside from minor edits)
- Preserving the story’s tone, rhythm, and essential character
Calder argued that Waverley still speaks to today’s issues—governance, identity, class, and Scotland’s place in the UK. She ended by affirming Scott’s importance as a gateway to Scottish history, echoing historian Tom Devine’s recommendation that young people read Scott to better understand the country’s past.
Interesting Points & Insights
- Scott’s Dual Role: Calder insightfully notes that Scott wasn't just telling stories—he was interpreting history. This historical framing makes his novels denser but adds lasting value.
- Relevance Today: The talk made a powerful case for why Waverley still matters, especially in light of current discussions around identity, nationalism, and governance in Scotland.
- Romanticism vs. Reality: Calder’s reading challenges the idea that Scott was merely romanticising the Highlands. She highlights his balanced depiction—showing both cultural richness and harsh realities.
- Call for a Film Adaptation: Calder expressed frustration that Waverley hasn’t yet been adapted for screen, despite its cinematic visuals and compelling plot.
- Adaptation Methodology: Her editorial process—cutting without losing the novel’s rhythm—was itself a form of literary stewardship, preserving Scott’s voice while making it accessible.
- Abbotsford as a Parallel: Comparing Waverley to Abbotsford was an elegant metaphor—both are curated expressions of a culture at risk of vanishing.
- Literary Influence: Her emphasis on Scott’s legacy across European and American fiction was compelling. Few authors have had such a wide-reaching impact.
Jenni Calder was born in Chicago, educated in the United States and England, and has lived in or near Edinburgh since 1971. After several years of part-time teaching and freelance writing, including three years in Kenya, she worked at the National Museums of Scotland from 1978 to 2001 successively as education officer, Head of Publications, script editor for the Museum of Scotland, and latterly as Head of Museum of Scotland International. In the latter capacity her main interest was in emigration and the Scottish diaspora. She has written and lectured widely on Scottish, English and American literary and historical subjects, and writes fiction and poetry as Jenni Daiches. She has two daughters, a son and a dog.
Jenny shares her experiences reading the works of Sir Walter Scott from a young age, highlighting "Waverley" as her gateway into Scottish history. She emphasizes the significance of Scott's exploration of the Jacobite risings, underscoring how the proximity of these events to his own time made his historical fiction resonate powerfully. Scott’s approach combined the oral tradition of storytelling with detailed historical context, striving to educate readers about Scotland's past and fostering an appreciation for its cultural heritage. She contrasts Scott's style with contemporary authors like Hilary Mantel, noting how Scott's frequent authorial interventions can both charm and frustrate modern readers. Despite a decline in readership in the 20th century, Scott's influence on 19th-century fiction was extensive, impacting writers like Dickens and Tolstoy. Finally, Jenny argues that Scott's vivid storytelling, character creation, and commitment to historical accuracy remain relevant today, offering valuable insights into the past that inform our understanding of contemporary identity.
Synopsis: In Waverley Scott demonstrated that Scotland had a distinctive history and a vibrant identity. Scott’s concern that accelerating industrialisation and changing ways of life would destroy evidence of the past drove him to ensure history was not lost. His passion for collecting stories and artefacts paralleled his commitment to preserving the past through his writing.
Waverley is a compelling account of the Jacobite Rising and its background. With a mission to illuminate, Scott explains and interprets which paradoxically can make it harder for 21st century readers. But Scott’s fiction provides a gateway to Scotland’s past. There is much to be gained through reading about
Waverley’s young naïve hero ignorant of Scotland caught up in an episode that had profound consequences and still resonates. The aim of the recently published abridged version is to attract a new readership and renew enthusiasm for a writer too often neglected.
