When Sir Walter Scott published the second in his Tales of My Landlord series in 1816, Old Mortality quickly became a favorite of his reading public. The novel focuses on the month of June 1679, with Scott compressing time to describe events on that day that led to the later historical Glorious Revolution of 1688. He imported some historical figures into his tale, but it represents a study of revolution, not history.
Scott creates the protagonist Henry Morton, a completely fictional being, as a protector of the true historical figure John Balfour of Burley. Morton does not know that Burley took part in an assassination of the Archbishop of St. Andrews as a member of the Covenanters, militant Presbyterians who hoped to recall the days of religious freedom, which existed before the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 and his Stuart policy of interference in Scotland’s church polity and ritual.
In the novel, Burley is not a Covenanter, but he joined their cause in angry response to English suppression of his fellow Scots. While the historical Burley did help murder James Sharp, the archbishop, on May 3, 1679, he did not undertake the additional action that Scott gives him in the novel. And neither Morton nor Burley, as sketched by Scott, resembles in any way the historical Robert Hamilton, leader of the real Covenanter uprising. The novel’s title derives from a nickname of the true Robert Paterson, who cared for the graves of the Covenanters at the close of the 18th century. His stories form the basis for Scott’s novel, and the author would return often to Scottish mythology in that same manner for future novels.
Scott uses the historical revolt as a framework for a romance plot in which Morton loves Edith Bellenden, whose family proves loyal to the English crown. Edith returns Morton’s love. However, a love triangle involves Lord Evandale, also in love with Edith, who in true heroic style rescues, at Edith’s request, Morton from execution when he is discovered to harbor the fugitive Burley. Following the Covenanters’ historic defeat at Bothwell Bridge, a historical reality on June 22, 1679, Morton is banished. When he returns following William III’s ascendance to the throne, Edith is ready to marry Evandale, having given up hope that Morton will ever return. When she learns that Morton lives, Edith cancels the wedding plans, a happy event for Morton.
The novel ends on a gloomy note, however, as Evandale is murdered by religious fanatics, a devoted core of remaining Covenanters, despite Morton’s desperate attempts to protect and rescue him.
Scott focuses on themes other than simply revolution, investigating problems occurring when revolutionaries, despite impressive numbers and raging devotion, band together without leadership or resources in a disorganized attempt to support religious ideology. Secondarily, he scrutinizes exactly what constitutes a “good” leader, examining the fictional Burley. Clearly motivated by a desire for power rather than by religious fervor, Burley controls his ruthless nature only through an equally forceful will. Simultaneously, he exhibits a fearless rhetoric, supported by courageous actions that combine to shape a charismatic leader. When the lesser revolutionary leaders falter, Burley simply lies to each one and succeeds in retaining their faith in him and, ironically, their cause.
As a foil to Burley, Ephraim Macbriar possesses all the courage exhibited by Burley but is also devoutly religious and scrupulously honest. Scott suggests that Burley’s willing use of deceit is necessary to revolution, bothering some critics. They feel that Scott should have stressed opposition to revolution and to power-crazed political leaders like Burley. Scott did the opposite, allowing Morton’s involvement, even though Morton knows Burley can’t be trusted. In the opinion of critic Alexander Welsh, Scott makes clear that “the release of energy implicit in revolution is analogous… to the release of passion from the restraint of reason.” An intelligent people cannot be restrained or controlled, and they will find leadership where needed.
Old Mortality offers, in addition to a story of love and revolution, an admirable comic characterization in the figure of Goose Gibbie. Although drawing the scorn of other characters and perhaps of readers as well, Goose is crucial to the plot. Through Goose, Scott reminds his readers of the huge part fate can play in determining the fortunes and futures of the most powerful humans.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Welsh, Alexander. Introduction to Old Mortality, by Sir Walter Scott. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1966, vii–xviii.
Categories: British Literature, Literature, Novel Analysis
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