
Examining all of Scott's best-known books as well as many less familiar works, this critical biography offers a lively and provocative reassessment of the writer who was often considered "the greatest single imaginative genius of the nineteenth century." A.N. Wilson shows how Scott combined his life as a prolific novelist, poet, biographer, historian, and anthologist with that of a lawyer, landowner, border farmer, part-time soldier and paterfamilias. He also discusses the general indifference that has surrounded Scott in this century and reveals the distortions of his Victorian idolators, recapturing the freshness of Scott as he appeared to his contemporaries.
How does the multifaceted life and prolific literary output of Sir Walter Scott reconcile with his diminished reputation in the twentieth century? A. N. Wilson, an established biographer and novelist, utilizes a critical biographical framework to re-examine Scott’s dual existence as a public literary figure and a private man of affairs. By analyzing both canonical works and obscure texts, Wilson argues that Scott’s true genius was obscured by the hagiography of Victorian idolators and subsequent modern neglect. The text seeks to restore Scott’s original stature by situating his creative output within the practical realities of his roles as a lawyer, landowner, and family man.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Critics often note that Wilson provides a provocative and accessible entry point for those interested in the complexities of Scott’s career. Scholars frequently highlight the book as a useful corrective to the polarized views of Scott that have persisted throughout the twentieth century.
Page Count:
224
Publication Date:
1989-05-18
ISBN-10:
0192825887
ISBN-13:
9780192825889
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