Question : Essay-type
Discuss ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ as a historical novel.
Introduction
Walter Scott has been called the father of The English Historical Novel. ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ is a great historical novel. In his historical novel Scott has blended fact with fiction, history with romance, imagination with reality and emotion with reason. This novel is also called the Scottish ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
Plot of The Novel
The master of Ravenswood is the hero of the novel. The whole plot revolves around him. He has a towering personality with all the quality of head and heart. Sir William Ashton is the Lord keeper of Scotland. The master of Ravenswood is a great lover. He suffers for the sake of his love. He lives for it and at last sacrifices his life at the alter of love. He can rightly be compared both with Hamlet and Romeo. The role of lady Ashton is most cruel. She is relentless. She always opposes any kind of mediation between Ravenswood and her husband. The master of Ravenswood suffers most on account of her. The abnormal behaviour of lady Ashton makes her a complete villain. Her innocent and simple daughter, Lucy Ashton dies a tragic death on account of her obstinacy. Like Viola in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ she burns in the flame of love without saying a word. She is forced to marry Lord of Buckley against her wishes. While Ophelia was denied freedom by her father and her brother, Lucy Ashton is denied freedom by her mother. Both Ophelia and Lucy Ashton die in insanity.
The Bride of Lammermoor : A Tragedy
‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ is also called a Ballad Tragedy. It is very much like a medieval ballad. The ballads usually deal with the old feeds between kings, family dissensions, battles and love. ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ deals with three things—rivalry, family dissensions and love. In “The Bride of Lammermoor” there is no moral teaching, no message is given. It is an impersonal narrative.
Conclusion
So we find that ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ is Scott’s most celebrated historical novel. It is a ballad tragedy. It is the Scottish Romeo and Juliet. The master of Ravenswood is the Hamlet of this tragedy. Lucy Ashton is Ophelia, Juliet and Viola all mixed in one. Love is the central theme of the novel. It is by all standards an exquisite piece of fictional art.
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Related Questions
1️⃣ Scott’s ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ is the Scottish Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy.
2️⃣ Give a critical estimate of Scott as a novelist pointing out his merits and demerits.
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