Walter Scott: a short biography and creativity. Walter Scott: biography, interesting facts and video Walter Scott works

Walter Scott; Scotland, Edinburgh; 08/15/1771 - 09/21/1832

Walter Scott is considered one of the greatest Scottish and English writers of all time. He is considered one of the founders of the historical novel genre, which was admired by his contemporaries and followers. So it was Scott's novels that inspired me to try myself in the genre of historical novel. After all, this English writer was as popular in Russia as at home. His novels were translated literally in a year (which was unusually fast for that time) and enjoyed great popularity. The novels of W. Scott have not lost their appeal to the modern reader. So "Ivanhoe" is a novel that is very popular, which allowed him to take a high place in our rating.

Biography of Walter Scott

Walter Scott was born into the family of a professor of medical sciences at the University of Edinburgh. In total, there were 13 children in the family, but only 6 survived. Walter also suffered a serious illness, which left him forever lame. The boy's childhood passed on his grandfather's farm, where, despite his physical handicaps, he amazed everyone with his phenomenal memory. At the age of eight, Walter enters the Edinburgh school, and after 6 years he goes to college. In college, he enjoys mountain climbing and reads a lot. Going in for sports allowed to strengthen the body and practically hid the chromate. At the same time, self-education in combination with a phenomenal memory allowed the author to study history in great detail.

At 21, Walter Scott successfully passed the exams at the University of Edinburgh and became a practicing lawyer, with his own legal practice. In the same year, he met Villamina Belches, whose hand he sought for more than 5 years, but who ultimately preferred a wealthy banker. Perhaps the names of this unrequited love inspired Walter Scott to poetry. It was in 1796 that the first translation of Scott's ballads by a German writer was published.

Despite the unrequited love that slipped for a long time in the images of the heroines of Scott's novels, a year later the young writer would marry Charlotte Carpenter. Their marriage lasted until the death of his wife and was quite strong. After all, Walter turned out to be a decent family man and a good business executive. Meanwhile, in the literary field, he conquered all of England with his novels in verse, which made him a famous poet.

However, in 1814 Walter Scott decides to try his hand at prose. His debut novel Waverley, or Sixty Years Ago was very well received by the literary community. The unusual combination of fictional characters with real historical events and a very detailed description of the era pleased the reader. This allowed Scott to write more and more actively in the genre of the historical novel. In the time before the death of the author in 1832 from a heart attack, Walter Scott managed to write 28 novels, 9 poems and many stories.

Novels by Scott at Top Books website

Our rating includes the novel by Scott "Ivanhoe". This novel, although not considered the best among the works of the author, received well-deserved love from readers as early as 1814. At that time, more than 10 thousand copies of the novel were sold. Those were really sky-high numbers. Thanks to the presence of "Ivanhoe" novel in the curriculum of some institutions, the popularity of the work is still quite large. This suggests the presence of Scott's novel "Ivanhoe" in the subsequent ratings of our site.

All books by Walter Scott

Poetry:

The Vision of Don Roderick
Ruler of the Isles
Lady of the Lake
Marmion
Songs of the Scottish Border
Song of the last minstrel
Waterloo field
rockby

Novels:

abbot
antiquary
Highlander's Widow
Woodstock, or Cavalier
Guy Mannering, or Astrologer
Count Robert of Paris
Two chauffeurs
The castle is dangerous
Charles the Bold, or Anna of Geierstein, Maiden of Gloom
Quentin Dorward
Kenilworth
Bride of Lammermoor
Legend of Montrose
Monastery
betrothed
Siege of Malta
Peveril Peak
Perth Beauty, or Valentine's Day
Pirate
The Adventures of Nigel
Puritans
redgauntlet
Rob Roy
Saint Ronan Waters
Mascot
Waverley, or Sixty Years Ago
black dwarf
edinburgh dungeon

Historical works:

Grandpa's stories
Biographies of novelists
Life of Napoleon Bonaparte
History of Scotland
Stories from the history of France
Death of Lord Byron

Walter ScottGreat Britain, 08/15/1771 - 09/21/1832 WALTER SCOTT - English poet, prose writer, historian. Scottish by origin. Born August 15, 1771 in Edinburgh. His parents were the lawyer W. Scott and the daughter of a professor of medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Ann Rutherford. In early childhood, Scott lived in Sandino, on his grandfather's farm, recuperating from a "tooth fever" (now believed to be polio). There he heard stories and ballads about the Scottish robbers who ruled here in the old days. Most of his extensive knowledge Scott received not at school and university, but through self-education. Everything that interested him was forever imprinted in his phenomenal memory. He did not need to study special literature before writing a novel or a poem. The colossal amount of knowledge allowed him to write on any chosen topic. At the request of his father, Scott chose a career as a lawyer, from 1786 he helped his father in business, and in 1792 he became a barrister. In 1797 Scott married a Frenchwoman, Marguerite Charlotte Charpentier, the daughter of a landowner from Lyon. To obtain funds for the maintenance of the family, in 1799 he took the post of sheriff in Selkirkshire, and in 1866 he became one of the chief secretaries of the Supreme Court of Scotland. Scott performed these duties to the end of his days, never neglecting his professional duty in favor of writing. Although over time, literary work became the main source of his wealth, he himself considered it a hobby. Scott's first publications were translations from H. A. Burger (1796) and J. W. Goethe (1799). In many of his writings, the influence of the Gothic school with its "horror novels" can be traced, but, fortunately, in the 1790s Scott became interested in Scottish ballads. In 1802 he published selected ballads under the title "Scottish Border Songs". This book brought him fame. In 1805, Scott first published a poem of his own composition - "The Song of the Last Minstrel", which met the tastes of that time and quickly won the sympathy of the public. Already in Scott's first great poem, his strengths were fully revealed: the gift of a storyteller, a happy union of reality and fiction, and the ability to captivate the reader with regional material. The Song was followed by the poems Marmio" 1808, "Lady of the Lake" 1810, "The Vision of Don Roderick" 1811, "Rockby" 1813 and Scott's last great poem "The Lord of the Islands" 1815. With the publication of Scott's first novel "Waverley" in July 1814 in his life has entered a new phase. All novels were printed without his signature, even after 1827, when Scott announced his authorship. The novel Waverley described the time in which Scott's grandfather lived, the second book, Guy Mannering, 1815, the time of his father, and the third, The Antiquary, 1816, the days of his own youth. In the novels The Black Dwarf and The Puritans, respectively, he turned to the events of the 17th and 18th centuries. Scott died at Abbatsford on September 21, 1832.

Walter Scott is a famous English novelist. Born in 1771 in Edinburgh. Coming from an ancient Scottish family, Scott grew up in a strictly monarchical and religious tradition, and the picturesque mountains of Scotland, its ruins and historical monuments early awakened poetic and historical interests in his impressionable soul. Physically healthy and strong, although lame in one leg (from the age of two), who adored the free village life, the boy did not study systematically at school, studied what he wanted, but early began to stand out among his comrades with the art of telling fantastic stories about castles, knights. For ten years he already knew a lot of Scottish ballads and collected folk songs. This material gave him the first plots for poetic adaptations.

Portrait of Walter Scott. Artist W. Allan, 1844

The son of a lawyer, Walter Scott in 1792 received the title of lawyer, but since he had little practice, leisure was used for poetry classes. The translation of Burger's ballads "Lenora" and "The Wild Hunter" appeared in 1796 drew attention to Scott in literary circles. The ensuing marriage (1797) and the election to the sheriffs (judges) of Selkirsky County (1799), giving him a calm, happy family life and a secure position, gave him even more opportunities to devote himself entirely to poetic activity.

In 1801, his first significant ballad, Glenfinlas, was published, followed by the collection Ballads of the Scottish Border (1802). Accustomed to the lifeless, rationally cold works of the then reigning poetic school Pope, the English public was struck by the sincerity, warmth and richness of fantastic colors in the works of the new poet. His success grows with the appearance of his great poem "The Song of the Last Minstrel" (1805), which brilliantly depicts ancient military life. It is strengthened by the epic, unusually artistically depicting the historical battle of the British and Scots in 1513: “Marmion. The Tale of the Battle of Flodden (1808), and reaches its apogee in The Lady of the Lake (1810), which, in a picture full of inspiration, courage and beauty, acquaints the reader with the nature and character of the people of the highlands of Scotland.

Walter Scott and the historical novel

But having a predominantly epic talent, especially skillful in external descriptions, Scott did not possess either a rich lyrical variety or dramatic power, and when Byron's Childe Harold came out in 1811, it became clear to him that with this powerful genius he could not can compete in the field of poetry. Scott then embarked on a new path. Having chosen the form of the historical novel as his specialty, he showed himself so original and talented in this then little developed literary genre that his writings became the subject of imitation of writers of all countries, and his name became known to the whole world.

From 1814 he produced a long line of short stories, beginning with Waverley, or Sixty Years Ago, which resurrects old Scottish customs and belongs with the following novels: Guy Mannering, The Antiquary, and Rob Roy » to the best works of the novelist. Until 1831, 74 volumes of historical novels by Walter Scott were published, among which the best are: "The Lammermoor Bride", "The Legend of Montrose", "Ivanhoe" (the most artistic and historically important work), "Quentin Dorward", "Woodstock" and others. Possessing an inexhaustible gift for storytelling and an extraordinary ability for characterization, Scott, at the same time, had an important influence on the development and direction of European historiography with his novels, since in his depiction the historical significance of local conditions, nature, race, degree of cultural development, class relations clearly appeared. As an artist, however, he can be reproached for sometimes being excessively lengthy in descriptions, and as a historian, for his exceptional attachment to the bright sides of medieval life and insufficient shading of its gloomy sides.

In 1826, Walter Scott suddenly went bankrupt, and this misfortune, forcing the writer to rush too soon with the release of new works to cover his debts, fatally affected the quality of his last novels, which are far inferior in originality of conception and consistency of execution to the first works. Except historical novels. Scott left several excellent biographies (Dryden, Swift, etc.) and twice edited Scottish history. He died of a heart attack in 1832.

Romana is the world famous Scottish writer Walter Scott. His biography is a chronology of the life of a worker, at the same time in love with his homeland and appreciating the history and unity of Britain.

His fellow countrymen appreciate him for being the first to present Scottish culture and identity to the world in his books. The writer warned the champions of the English great power that an attempt to "de-Scottish" his compatriots was doomed to a resounding failure. He honored the customs of his native land and honored the head of his clan. However, he has always been a champion of the rule of law and British statehood. Therefore, quite consciously, the writer accepted the court title of baronet granted by the king.

Childhood

Born in the capital of Scotland - Edinburgh - Sir Walter Scott. The biography of this strong-willed and extraordinary person began with a test. At the age of one, he suffered from childhood paralysis, and therefore was marked for life with a lameness, having lost the mobility of his right leg. He was the ninth child in the family of a famous Edinburgh lawyer. However, only three children survived. Twice the parents treated the child's illness at mineral springs, which eased the symptoms of the disease. Before starting his studies, little Walter Scott was a frequent visitor as a nephew on the farms of relatives in the Scottish province.

His childhood was imbued with the simple life of the Scottish outback, folk tales, songs. The unpretentious hilly landscape of his homeland with numerous lakes and ancient mysterious buildings was close to his soul.

Education

From the age of eight, Walter Scott studied at Edinburgh School, and at the age of 14 he entered Edinburgh College. Among his peers, he was distinguished by a phenomenal memory and an innate mind. His comrades considered him an unsurpassed storyteller. From childhood until the end of his days, the future writer independently worked on his education, he deeply delved into ancient and European (especially German) literature, having received encyclopedic knowledge recognized by all.

In his youth, carried away by mountaineering, the future classic became physically stronger, and his disease began to manifest itself to a lesser extent.

Family, career

Walter Scott (1771-1832) was surprisingly harmonious and holistic in nature, the writer achieved genuine public respect, having received a solid lawyer education and a revered profession. His first feeling was miserable. A twenty-year-old young man falls in love with the daughter of his father's friend, Villamina Belches, and takes care of her for five years, but she does not reciprocate his feelings and marries another.

However, he was destined for a harmonious and happy family life. At the age of twenty-five he married Miss Margaret Carpenter. The spouses first have a son, and two years later a daughter. Moving up the career ladder, in 1806 he was appointed clerk of the court.

Good husband and father

According to the surviving records of contemporaries, Sir Walter Scott was an exemplary father and head of the family. His biography testifies that he gave his children a proper education, and the writer, who was in love with Scotland, rebuilt his estate Abbotsford at his own discretion into an old castle, however, convenient and comfortable. The place of the armories and servants' rooms in the classic's house was occupied by library halls and an office. Despite the rather frequent ailments, he was a pleasant and hospitable host, the soul of the company.

He was a kind and fair person, a sanguine person, who communicated equally easily and kindly with both nobles and ordinary people. His professional activities have always followed the golden rule of the presumption of innocence. In the political battles between the British liberals and the Tories, each of whom tried to win over the famous writer to their side, he did not follow either side, preferring the sensible position of a statesman.

Poetic creativity

Walter Scott wrote his first literary works at the age of 25. The biography of the famous novelist began with poetic creativity. The Scot translated Gottfried Burger's mystical ballads The Wild Hunter and Lenora, as well as Johann Goethe's chivalrous tragedy Goetz von Berlichingen. Soon the young author begins to write works based on Scottish folklore. The poet wrote his first own work in 1800, it was the mystical knightly ballad "Ivan's Evening".

Inspired by the folk epic, the poet begins to develop this fertile theme, issuing a two-volume collection of his poems called Songs of the Scottish Border. He was successful. The creation of the third volume of "Songs" was already eagerly awaited by the reading public in Britain. Thanks to his innovative romantic poetry, Walter Scott became widely known. Books of his poetic works were a success among compatriots. Among them, the ballads "Marmion", "Rockby", "Lady of the Lake", "Song of the Last Minstrel" deserve special recognition.

Social novels

The famous novelist began writing prose ten years later. His first work was published anonymously in 1814 under the title Waverley, or 60 Years Ago. Quite often ill, Walter Scott worked surprisingly fruitfully. His books (meaning novels) were written on average two per year. Until 1827, his prose was published under the signature "Author of Waverley". In total, over the thirty years of his work, 28 novels and a large number of stories were published from the writer's pen. His literary research went beyond the canonical chivalric novels, and he became disillusioned with mysticism.

He created a new style in literature, skillfully mixing the history of his native land, which he knew brilliantly, with highly artistic fiction, while creating surprisingly vivid characters loved by readers. For him, real historical events are only a canvas against which the life of his characters flows. The work of Walter Scott until 1819 tends to describe the fateful events and conflicts for Britain. The most striking novels of that period are Rob Roy (1818), which tells the story of a Scottish rebel and robber, and The Puritan (1816), which deals with a rebellion against the royal dynasty. In addition to the two books mentioned above, the reader's attention is riveted to the Antiquary, Guy Mannering, and The Legend of Montrose.

Romantic books

After 1819, Walter Scott somewhat changes the subject of his works. Romanticism in his novels intensifies, the intensity of class confrontation decreases. Now the writer's attention is riveted to the whole of Britain, and not just to his native Scotland. The palette of the master becomes more diverse. A kind of Rubicon in his work is the novel "Ivanhoe" (1819), which tells about England in the 12th century. He was followed by the writing of the books "The Abbot", "The Monastery", "Kenilworth", "Quentin Dorward", "The Beauty of Perth". He also creates biographical works: "The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte", "The Death of Lord Byron".

financial hardship

However, the literary work that Walter Scott was engaged in was not so simple. Interesting facts from the life of the writer testify that in 1825, while he was working on The Fate of Napoleon, the capital of the publisher and printer collaborating with him (Constable and James Ballantyne, deceased by that time), combined with his capital, went bankrupt on speculative operations of the company that manages it, Hearst, Robinson and Co.

The British then looked with sympathy at the ruin of their favorite. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, when the ruined Sir Walter Scott, as court clerk, appeared at his meeting, he behaved with dignity and meekness. When his colleagues offered to lend him enough money to straighten out his financial condition, the writer refused. He, thanking for the participation, replied: "My right hand will help me." In these words, both high human dignity and purely Scottish pride were felt.

Death of a classic

The writer almost managed to pay off the debt of 120,000 pounds formed from the depreciation of bills with the proceeds from his new novels. However, nervous tension and constant irregular writing work affected his health. In the period from 1830 to 1831, the writer experiences three strokes of apoplexy, and on September 21, 1832, Sir Walter Scott died of a heart attack at his Abbotsford estate. The rest of his debt was repaid fifteen years later, thanks to the sale of authorship rights.

It should be noted that not only readers of books know Walter Scott. The adaptation of the works of the classic is familiar to millions of viewers. The film "The Legend of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe", as well as the film-mix based on the works of the classic "Arrows of Robin Hood", is very famous. The films "Rob Roy", "The Adventures of Quentin Durward" are known to fans of his work.

Conclusion

A writer of novels read in Britain and around the world, Sir Walter Scott was a deeply respected author. He stood at the origins of the creation of the historical novel genre. Classic was a very harmonious personality and very successfully combined creative and legal activities.

He comprehended the science of wisdom: to live with people and for people, having his own point of view, but at the same time not having enemies. It is noteworthy that Walter Scott was a true patriot of Scotland. His biography is an example of creative literary work.

The untimely death of this most talented person, caused by heavy irregular work and poor health, is regrettable.

😉 Greetings to regular and new readers of the site! The article "Walter Scott: biography, interesting facts" is about the life of a famous Scottish writer.

Walter Scott (1771 - 1832) - writer, translator from German, human rights activist. He is also known as the author of poetic works, for example, "Lady of the Lake", the romance "Ave Maria". He rightfully owns the primacy of creating the historical novel as a new literary genre.

Biography of Walter Scott

In the capital of Scotland in mid-August 1771, the ninth child was born in the family of a successful lawyer and the daughter of a professor of medicine. It was a boy who was destined to become a world famous and beloved writer of millions of readers.

In this friendly family, with patriarchal views on life, there were 13 children in total. However, seven of them died in infancy.

Walter was also in poor health. At six months, the baby was struck by cerebral palsy and forever left him lame in his right leg. The family's condition allowed for a comprehensive treatment of his son under the guidance of well-known doctors in the resorts and Prestonpans.

Let's not forget that his grandfather was the head of the department of medicine at the University of Edinburgh and had a lot of friends and students. To improve the health of the kids, parents sent them to the countryside for the summer: to the grandfather's farm in Sandinow or to his uncle in the picturesque surroundings of Kelso.

From early childhood, the boy amazed his relatives with an extraordinary memory and ability to reproduce stories. At the age of seven, it was time to start training and Walter returned to. School first, then college. Here he is fond of mountaineering, gets stronger physically, and fellow students are ready to endlessly listen to his stories.

During his studies, Scott organizes and leads the so-called Poetry Society. The young man reads a lot, especially he likes the work of ancient writers. A special place in his passions is occupied by folk Scottish ballads and legends.

He stubbornly studies the German language in order to read Burger in the original and, whose works he later brilliantly translates. Gets acquainted with the works of A. Smith and W. Robertson. He has a reputation as an excellent speaker.

In 1792 Scott becomes a lawyer. He maintains a private practice, at the same time collecting ancient legends about Scotland, folk tales, travels around the country. He publishes his translations anonymously in journals.

Personal life and cause of death

At the age of 20, he falls in love with Villamina Belches. Unfortunately, the sympathy was not mutual and five years of romantic courtship for the girl did not bring results. She marries William Forbes, a representative of a wealthy banking family.

This was a shock to the poet. The image of Villamina will repeatedly appear on the pages of his novels.

In 1797 Scott marries Charlotte Charpentier. The family lives peacefully in their own castle in Abbotsford, leads a quiet life of ordinary farmers. Having suffered three strokes of apoplexy in 1830-1831, which completely paralyzed his right arm, the writer died of a heart attack in the autumn of 1832.

After his death, a public exhibition hall was organized in the castle. Its exposition includes manuscripts, documents and belongings of the writer.

The work of Walter Scott

For the first time, they started talking about Walter Scott in 1800 during the publication of "Midsummer's Evening", and two years later - "Songs of the Border of Scotland", where the originals of the folk art of the Scots were collected.

In The Lady of the Lake, the famous composer Franz Schubert saw the basis for his work. The romance "Ave Maria" has become a classic, performed in Catholic churches to this day.

The writer was a passionate admirer of chivalry, poetry of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. But, nevertheless, in 1813 he categorically rejected the post of romantic poet offered to him. R. Southey was appointed to this position.

pioneer of the historical novel

Scott is deservedly called the discoverer of the historical novel. Legends and prose works inspired by the spirit of that time came out from under his pen with incredible speed. For thirty years he created 28 novels, about a dozen poems, critical articles on literature, historical works.

The speed of creating works was dictated by the debts of the publishing house, which was maintained by Walter Scott. He helped publish the works of Jonathan Swift, O. Goldsmith, the poems of Anna Seward and many other young writers.

In addition, the estate where the writer worked was filled with a whole warehouse of antique weapons, paintings by famous artists, manuscripts, collectibles of applied arts. This required large sums of money to maintain.

Scott wrote about witches, medieval customs and executions. In his book about life, the author reveals many unknown historical facts of military campaigns. Known for his critical articles in the Reviews of the novels of D. Byron, R. Southey, M. Shelley Wollstonecraft Godwin.

Collaboration with Matthew Gregory Lewis, better known as Charles Maturin, resulted in Fairy and Terrible Tales, published in 1801.

The writer always spoke of the Gothic novel as a meaningless heap of miracles and horrors. Therefore, he created his own style - historical prose. He believed that stories with rich illustrations by candlelight in the warmth of a fireplace could better convey the essence of the era and capture the reader's attention.

The theme of ghosts takes place in "The Monastery", where the spirit of the White Lady appears. Both Aunt Margaret's Mirror and The Tapestry Room are written in the national Scottish style. Critics called his Gothic works magical.

Scott significantly enriched the classic Gothic novel with traditional ballads, mystery, retelling, in which events could be reflected inaccurately, illusory.

Video

In this video, additional information "Walter Scott: biography, interesting facts." You will see the estate, the library and the writer's belongings.