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The Lady of the Lake
A kindly heart had brave Fitz-James;
Fast poured his eyes at pity's claims,
And now, with mingled grief and ire,
He saw the murdered maid expire.
"God, in my need, be my relief,
As I wreak this on yonder Chief!"
- from The Lady of the Lake
Wildly successful with readers and critics on both sides of the Atlantic when it was first published in 1810, this is Scott's renowned romantic poem about love and honor amidst a bitter rivalry between King James V and the powerful Douglas family.
This revised edition, published in 1899, features an extensive introduction that places Scott and his writings in historical and literary context, as well as explanatory notes, study guides, and suggested selections for class or book-group readings. Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832), a literary hero of his native land, turned to writing only when his law practice and printing business foundered. Among his most beloved works are Rob Roy (1818), and Ivanhoe (1820). American writer William Vaughn Moody (1869 - 1910) served as co-editor of the Harvard Monthly and assistant professor of English at the University of Chicago. He authored several verse plays, books of poetry, and histories and criticisms of English literature.
Fast poured his eyes at pity's claims,
And now, with mingled grief and ire,
He saw the murdered maid expire.
"God, in my need, be my relief,
As I wreak this on yonder Chief!"
- from The Lady of the Lake
Wildly successful with readers and critics on both sides of the Atlantic when it was first published in 1810, this is Scott's renowned romantic poem about love and honor amidst a bitter rivalry between King James V and the powerful Douglas family.
This revised edition, published in 1899, features an extensive introduction that places Scott and his writings in historical and literary context, as well as explanatory notes, study guides, and suggested selections for class or book-group readings. Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832), a literary hero of his native land, turned to writing only when his law practice and printing business foundered. Among his most beloved works are Rob Roy (1818), and Ivanhoe (1820). American writer William Vaughn Moody (1869 - 1910) served as co-editor of the Harvard Monthly and assistant professor of English at the University of Chicago. He authored several verse plays, books of poetry, and histories and criticisms of English literature.
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1810
171 people are currently reading
5298 people want to read
About the author
Walter Scott
10.5k books2,005 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
October 16, 2023
I picked up my copy of this from a little giftshop on the shore of Loch Katrine, where it's set, in that strange borderland between the lowlands and the highlands of Scotland which at this time of year looks especially Scottish, all green conifer woods, orange-brown bracken, and grey-blue lochs glinting in every valley.
The descriptions of the landscape are indeed one of the best things about this flowery, High Romantic epic:
There is a lot of this kind of thing. Mixing scraps of history and folklore, the plot of The Lady of the Lake looks forward to Scott's career as a novelist – and indeed, this was about the last big poem he wrote, before deciding that Byron had put his kind of verse out of business.
It's hard to overstress how insanely popular this was in its day, though. It sold something like 30,000 copies in its first year, which was unheard-of, and Regency tourists flocked to the Trossachs literally in their coachloads, thousands upon thousands of them, to see the place for themselves. Later, Queen Victoria came and took a boat ride up the length of Loch Katrine, and Jules Verne wrote an entire novel about a secret city hidden underneath it. Over the Atlantic, its influence was both benign (Frederick Douglass took his name from the Douglas clan in Scott's poem) and malign (the Ku Klux Klan borrowed the device of the ‘flaming cross’ from The Lady of the Lake, and also I suppose the fact that they're a ‘klan’ in the first place).
To modern readers, who have grown up on several generations of literary tradition which were more or less created by Walter Scott, the original article can seem a bit unsubtle and inauthentic. I still find a lot to enjoy, though, in Scott's romantic fascination with the past, its language and its imagined codes of honour. And also in his incredible sense of place, which is why this poem still captures the character and landscape of this part of Scotland with unerring accuracy even two centuries after it was written.
The descriptions of the landscape are indeed one of the best things about this flowery, High Romantic epic:
Where, gleaming with the setting sun,
One burnished sheet of living gold,
Loch Katrine lay beneath him rolled,
In all her length far winding lay,
With promontory, creek, and bay,
And islands that, empurpled bright,
Floated amid the livelier light,
And mountains that like giants stand
To sentinel enchanted land.
High on the south, huge Benvenue
Down to the lake in masses threw
Crags, knolls, and mounds, confusedly hurled,
The fragments of an earlier world;
A wildering forest feathered o'er
His ruined sides and summit hoar,
While on the north, through middle air,
Ben-an heaved high his forehead bare.
There is a lot of this kind of thing. Mixing scraps of history and folklore, the plot of The Lady of the Lake looks forward to Scott's career as a novelist – and indeed, this was about the last big poem he wrote, before deciding that Byron had put his kind of verse out of business.
It's hard to overstress how insanely popular this was in its day, though. It sold something like 30,000 copies in its first year, which was unheard-of, and Regency tourists flocked to the Trossachs literally in their coachloads, thousands upon thousands of them, to see the place for themselves. Later, Queen Victoria came and took a boat ride up the length of Loch Katrine, and Jules Verne wrote an entire novel about a secret city hidden underneath it. Over the Atlantic, its influence was both benign (Frederick Douglass took his name from the Douglas clan in Scott's poem) and malign (the Ku Klux Klan borrowed the device of the ‘flaming cross’ from The Lady of the Lake, and also I suppose the fact that they're a ‘klan’ in the first place).
To modern readers, who have grown up on several generations of literary tradition which were more or less created by Walter Scott, the original article can seem a bit unsubtle and inauthentic. I still find a lot to enjoy, though, in Scott's romantic fascination with the past, its language and its imagined codes of honour. And also in his incredible sense of place, which is why this poem still captures the character and landscape of this part of Scotland with unerring accuracy even two centuries after it was written.
October 31, 2023
"Much have I owed thy strains on life's long way,
Through secret woes the world has never known,
When on the weary night dawned wearier day,
And bitterer was the grief devoured alone.—
That I o'erlive such woes, Enchantress! is thine own."
This was my fifth reading of this magnificent poem, and I love it more every time! It was also nice to have a dear friend join me in reading it this time...thanks Emma! 🤗 Even though I probably now know the entire story by heart, it never fails to thrill me with fresh beauties. My favorite part though will always be the scene in Canto V where Roderick Dhu reveals his identity to Fitz-James, which I think has to be one of the grandest scenes in poetry...
'Have then thy wish!'—He whistled shrill
And he was answered from the hill;
Wild as the scream of the curlew,
From crag to crag the signal flew.
Instant, through copse and heath, arose
Bonnets and spears and bended bows
On right, on left, above, below,
Sprung up at once the lurking foe;
From shingles gray their lances start,
The bracken bush sends forth the dart,
The rushes and the willow-wand
Are bristling into axe and brand,
And every tuft of broom gives life
'To plaided warrior armed for strife.
That whistle garrisoned the glen
At once with full five hundred men,
As if the yawning hill to heaven
A subterranean host had given.
Watching their leader's beck and will,
All silent there they stood and still.
Like the loose crags whose threatening mass
Lay tottering o'er the hollow pass,
As if an infant's touch could urge
Their headlong passage down the verge,
With step and weapon forward flung,
Upon the mountain-side they hung.
The Mountaineer cast glance of pride
Along Benledi's living side,
Then fixed his eye and sable brow
Full on Fitz-James: 'How say'st thou now?
These are Clan-Alpine's warriors true;
And, Saxon,—I am Roderick Dhu!'
Through secret woes the world has never known,
When on the weary night dawned wearier day,
And bitterer was the grief devoured alone.—
That I o'erlive such woes, Enchantress! is thine own."
This was my fifth reading of this magnificent poem, and I love it more every time! It was also nice to have a dear friend join me in reading it this time...thanks Emma! 🤗 Even though I probably now know the entire story by heart, it never fails to thrill me with fresh beauties. My favorite part though will always be the scene in Canto V where Roderick Dhu reveals his identity to Fitz-James, which I think has to be one of the grandest scenes in poetry...
'Have then thy wish!'—He whistled shrill
And he was answered from the hill;
Wild as the scream of the curlew,
From crag to crag the signal flew.
Instant, through copse and heath, arose
Bonnets and spears and bended bows
On right, on left, above, below,
Sprung up at once the lurking foe;
From shingles gray their lances start,
The bracken bush sends forth the dart,
The rushes and the willow-wand
Are bristling into axe and brand,
And every tuft of broom gives life
'To plaided warrior armed for strife.
That whistle garrisoned the glen
At once with full five hundred men,
As if the yawning hill to heaven
A subterranean host had given.
Watching their leader's beck and will,
All silent there they stood and still.
Like the loose crags whose threatening mass
Lay tottering o'er the hollow pass,
As if an infant's touch could urge
Their headlong passage down the verge,
With step and weapon forward flung,
Upon the mountain-side they hung.
The Mountaineer cast glance of pride
Along Benledi's living side,
Then fixed his eye and sable brow
Full on Fitz-James: 'How say'st thou now?
These are Clan-Alpine's warriors true;
And, Saxon,—I am Roderick Dhu!'
May 28, 2012
The only thing i read on my Romantic Literature MA that i gave a crap about. If you want Romantic poetry that defies Wordsworth, and his ever-so-tedious ilk, then this is the guy. Rock on Scotland, the progenitor of pissing people off.
This poem is written with extensive notes; it is PIVOTAL that the poem is read in conjunction with these. All the peri-textual material, the introduction, the notes are as much the beating heart of the poem as the Cantos. They display a measure of detail, both real, and fake that really produce the truth of this poems agenda - what is history? Is it a song? Is it folk law? Is it the enduring landscape, which bears the scars of former generations? Is it all of the above? Is it none of the above? Scott uses all his power as an atiquarian to historicize Scotland's National Identity in this poem. So much so that, on its publication, it became the premier Victorian vacation spot. Literary Tourism at its biggest and baddest.
Like most of Scott, it is now plunged into the depths of obscurity. I should never have come accross it unless i did my post grad course. So much of fiction is so easily forgotten, but at one point, this was the most printed book in the world. Probably why you can find editions of Scott's poetry in second hand book shops in such numbers. Not everyone has the ability to endure like Austen, or Shakespeare. Scott deserves more focus. He is a dude.
This poem is an exercise in creative innovation. A vision of the past to define the future. The great thing is - he suceeded. A great neo-medievalist text. He held the baton high. Go on there Scotty-boy!
This poem is written with extensive notes; it is PIVOTAL that the poem is read in conjunction with these. All the peri-textual material, the introduction, the notes are as much the beating heart of the poem as the Cantos. They display a measure of detail, both real, and fake that really produce the truth of this poems agenda - what is history? Is it a song? Is it folk law? Is it the enduring landscape, which bears the scars of former generations? Is it all of the above? Is it none of the above? Scott uses all his power as an atiquarian to historicize Scotland's National Identity in this poem. So much so that, on its publication, it became the premier Victorian vacation spot. Literary Tourism at its biggest and baddest.
Like most of Scott, it is now plunged into the depths of obscurity. I should never have come accross it unless i did my post grad course. So much of fiction is so easily forgotten, but at one point, this was the most printed book in the world. Probably why you can find editions of Scott's poetry in second hand book shops in such numbers. Not everyone has the ability to endure like Austen, or Shakespeare. Scott deserves more focus. He is a dude.
This poem is an exercise in creative innovation. A vision of the past to define the future. The great thing is - he suceeded. A great neo-medievalist text. He held the baton high. Go on there Scotty-boy!
October 31, 2023
This is just one of the most beautiful books out there! It's so easy to get lost in the words and forget completely what's going on around you. I know it's a book I'll read many times through my life...and always pick it up especially if I need something encouraging and uplifting.
And I never would've read it if it wasn't for my dearest friend encouraging me to...and being the best that she is to read it with me! 🤗💗
And I never would've read it if it wasn't for my dearest friend encouraging me to...and being the best that she is to read it with me! 🤗💗
March 7, 2008
I found the copy of this book that I have under a floor board in our barn. The copyright is 1882 and there are notes written all through it in an old-style cursive from a student that was apparently studying the book at school.
I love the description .. each seperate sonnet or poem takes you to new surroundings, and when I'm not pre-occupied with other thoughts while reading these, I find myself feeling the emotions described. I read this to my children at bed time to calm them down. Here;s a sample from Canto 1; the setting is in the vicinity of Loch Katrine, in the Western Highlands of Perthshire.
The Lady of the Lake
Canto 1
XXXV.
The wild rose, eglantine, and broom
Wasted around their rich perfume;
The birch-trees wept in fragrant balm;
The aspens slept beneath the calm;
The silver light, with quivering glance,
Played on the water's still expanse,-
Wild were the heart whose passion's sway
Could rage beneath the sober ray!
He felt its calm, that warrior guest,
While thus he communed with his breast:
'Why is it, at each turn I trace
Some memory of that exiled race"
Can I not mountain maiden spy,
But she must bear the Douglas eye?
Can I not view a Highland brand,
But it must match the Douglas hand?
Can I not frame a fevered dream,
But still the Douglas is the theme?
I'll dream no more, by manly mind
Not even in sleep is will resigned.
My midnight orisons said o'er,
I'll turn to rest, and dream no more.'
His midnight orisons he told,
A prayer with every bead of gold,
Consigned to heaven his cares and woes,
And sunk in undisturbed repose,
Until the heath-cock shrilly crew,
And morning dawned on Benbenue.
I also love the battle scenes that give such description that I feel my heart beat fast and my hands sweat like I am being hunted.
I love the description .. each seperate sonnet or poem takes you to new surroundings, and when I'm not pre-occupied with other thoughts while reading these, I find myself feeling the emotions described. I read this to my children at bed time to calm them down. Here;s a sample from Canto 1; the setting is in the vicinity of Loch Katrine, in the Western Highlands of Perthshire.
The Lady of the Lake
Canto 1
XXXV.
The wild rose, eglantine, and broom
Wasted around their rich perfume;
The birch-trees wept in fragrant balm;
The aspens slept beneath the calm;
The silver light, with quivering glance,
Played on the water's still expanse,-
Wild were the heart whose passion's sway
Could rage beneath the sober ray!
He felt its calm, that warrior guest,
While thus he communed with his breast:
'Why is it, at each turn I trace
Some memory of that exiled race"
Can I not mountain maiden spy,
But she must bear the Douglas eye?
Can I not view a Highland brand,
But it must match the Douglas hand?
Can I not frame a fevered dream,
But still the Douglas is the theme?
I'll dream no more, by manly mind
Not even in sleep is will resigned.
My midnight orisons said o'er,
I'll turn to rest, and dream no more.'
His midnight orisons he told,
A prayer with every bead of gold,
Consigned to heaven his cares and woes,
And sunk in undisturbed repose,
Until the heath-cock shrilly crew,
And morning dawned on Benbenue.
I also love the battle scenes that give such description that I feel my heart beat fast and my hands sweat like I am being hunted.
October 31, 2015
This is a beautiful romantic poem in the midst of the rivalry of James the fifth and the Clan of Douglas in Scottland. It was originally printed in 1810. In this version there are explanitary notes and a wonderful introduction which explains the times in which this was written to better understand the poem.
I recommend all of Walter Scott's books but especially this one.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
I recommend all of Walter Scott's books but especially this one.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
October 25, 2022
As a result of a feud between her father and King James, Ellen Douglas must live a secluded life in hiding on a small island in a Scottish loch. There she meets the mysterious James Fitz-James, a knight who has lost his hunting party in the highlands. Ellen is distressed by the romantic intentions of two highland lords, Malcolm Graeme and Roderick Dhu. Her father, the Douglas, refuses to lead his clan into war with King James, but Roderick Dhu calls together an army for a bloody battle.
I loved this beautiful poetry! There is such a wonderful balance in the writing between flowery phrases and powerful emotions and good plain storytelling. All these things come together for a delightful reading experience.
I loved the strong characters of the highland lords. They are courteous and brave and loyal. They are everything that knights in a fairy tale should be. The Douglas is so strong and brawny that he has become a legend among all the Scottish clans. Roderick Dhu may be rough and violent, but he always respects traditional courteous conduct. Fitz-James is serious and stalwart, but also has a tender heart.
Ellen is a lovely character. She's so sweet and strong-minded. She will sacrifice anything to save her father. She is sensitive, but also very tough to weather the storms of difficulty. I really liked how she will not bend to other's wishes, but she is also very generous and unselfish.
I enjoyed diving into the Scottish setting. The poetry paints a gorgeous picture of the highlands, and the perfect unspoiled nature of the mountains, the lochs and rivers. I could almost smell the greenery and the pines. I could almost feel the coolness of the water rippling in little waves on the shores of the lake. It's vivid and alive in every stanza.
I liked that my edition has a map and some illustrations, and footnotes to explain some of the more archaic or Scottish words. I didn't usually need the footnotes though. The language is so readable, and the story flows along so easily that they weren't usually necessary, but nice to have.
I loved this beautiful poetry! There is such a wonderful balance in the writing between flowery phrases and powerful emotions and good plain storytelling. All these things come together for a delightful reading experience.
I loved the strong characters of the highland lords. They are courteous and brave and loyal. They are everything that knights in a fairy tale should be. The Douglas is so strong and brawny that he has become a legend among all the Scottish clans. Roderick Dhu may be rough and violent, but he always respects traditional courteous conduct. Fitz-James is serious and stalwart, but also has a tender heart.
Ellen is a lovely character. She's so sweet and strong-minded. She will sacrifice anything to save her father. She is sensitive, but also very tough to weather the storms of difficulty. I really liked how she will not bend to other's wishes, but she is also very generous and unselfish.
I enjoyed diving into the Scottish setting. The poetry paints a gorgeous picture of the highlands, and the perfect unspoiled nature of the mountains, the lochs and rivers. I could almost smell the greenery and the pines. I could almost feel the coolness of the water rippling in little waves on the shores of the lake. It's vivid and alive in every stanza.
I liked that my edition has a map and some illustrations, and footnotes to explain some of the more archaic or Scottish words. I didn't usually need the footnotes though. The language is so readable, and the story flows along so easily that they weren't usually necessary, but nice to have.
March 6, 2020
This long poem with six cantos with many long parts. Each canto depicts a single day. Three men vie for the love of Ellen Douglas. However, feuds are present and the Highland clans and lowland Scots war against one another. My favorite parts of the poem are not the portions dealing with feuds or wars but the passages describing the natural beauty of the region. Scott's love of nature manifests itself in the descriptions and creates wonderful pictures for readers to envision. For the most part, Scott uses the rhyme scheme AABBCCDDEEFF, etc. Each numbered part within the canto seems to vary a little from the section above it. Many of these stanzas, particularly the ones describing nature, would serve well as stand-alone poems. Together they weave a story. (3.5 stars)
February 20, 2021
Compared with his previous narrative poem, Marmion, this effort is much more readable, understandable and thus, enjoyable. Still, I do not find it surprising that Scott henceforth largely switched to prose, and began his highly successful series of Waverley novels.
It would appear that his major motive is to portray the culture, personality types and passions of the Scots during historical times. The bold stances, the heroic posturings, the heraldic calls to honor and fealty, the extolling of bravery and manhood - these emotional outpourings seem more important than any mere narrative of actual actions. Of the six cantos of just under a thousand lines each which comprise the roughly 150 pp. of this poem, only about half of one of them actually has a battle in it - and that is narrated second hand by the roving minstrel Allan who is in the service of James of Douglas.
Indeed, there are almost half a dozen 'songs' which interrupt the flow of the story. They do have a singularly telling effect, and are truly evocative and lyrical masterpieces of description. But story they aren't. My supposition here is that Scott realized that in order to hold his reader's interest in a stronger way, his evocations of the Scottish soul would have to be interwoven with a more substantial narrative thrust, one to which prose rather than verse more readily lends itself.
The 'story' of The Lady of the Lake could just as easily have been written as a novel. It has several of Scott's well known structural trademarks: a highly attractive heroine, Ellen of Douglas, who is pursued by not one, not by two, but by three suitors. There is more than one instance of the hidden and/or mistaken identity of a main character which he used so ingeniously again and again throughout the novels. There is the fascination with Scottish traditions: especially the Taighairn or 'fiery cross' of summoning of the clans, the traditional games of archery, wrestling and caber tossing, and the hunting custom of T'inchel by which deer (or opposing military forces) are surrounded in a space of ever-decreasing perimeters.
Without the copious notes accompanying the school-book edition (from 1915!) I read, I would have been somewhat at a loss (far too many proper nouns of places, personages and cultural customs!) , but with judicious use thereof, this poem was quite accessible. Its story verges on the trivial - a minor rebellion by an overly-proud noble against a King whose title to the throne is somewhat dispute. The main story gets off-track more times than I could count; and what resolution there was to the love-interest angle is not all that clear by its conclusion.
Nonetheless, not bad. Since I've finished all the Waverley novels, I'm hunting down his rather obscure poems to find the next Scott to read.
It would appear that his major motive is to portray the culture, personality types and passions of the Scots during historical times. The bold stances, the heroic posturings, the heraldic calls to honor and fealty, the extolling of bravery and manhood - these emotional outpourings seem more important than any mere narrative of actual actions. Of the six cantos of just under a thousand lines each which comprise the roughly 150 pp. of this poem, only about half of one of them actually has a battle in it - and that is narrated second hand by the roving minstrel Allan who is in the service of James of Douglas.
Indeed, there are almost half a dozen 'songs' which interrupt the flow of the story. They do have a singularly telling effect, and are truly evocative and lyrical masterpieces of description. But story they aren't. My supposition here is that Scott realized that in order to hold his reader's interest in a stronger way, his evocations of the Scottish soul would have to be interwoven with a more substantial narrative thrust, one to which prose rather than verse more readily lends itself.
The 'story' of The Lady of the Lake could just as easily have been written as a novel. It has several of Scott's well known structural trademarks: a highly attractive heroine, Ellen of Douglas, who is pursued by not one, not by two, but by three suitors. There is more than one instance of the hidden and/or mistaken identity of a main character which he used so ingeniously again and again throughout the novels. There is the fascination with Scottish traditions: especially the Taighairn or 'fiery cross' of summoning of the clans, the traditional games of archery, wrestling and caber tossing, and the hunting custom of T'inchel by which deer (or opposing military forces) are surrounded in a space of ever-decreasing perimeters.
Without the copious notes accompanying the school-book edition (from 1915!) I read, I would have been somewhat at a loss (far too many proper nouns of places, personages and cultural customs!) , but with judicious use thereof, this poem was quite accessible. Its story verges on the trivial - a minor rebellion by an overly-proud noble against a King whose title to the throne is somewhat dispute. The main story gets off-track more times than I could count; and what resolution there was to the love-interest angle is not all that clear by its conclusion.
Nonetheless, not bad. Since I've finished all the Waverley novels, I'm hunting down his rather obscure poems to find the next Scott to read.
June 26, 2011
Amazingly, this used to be taught in the 9th grade at the turn of the last century. Don't know if our students could read it today. The story is wonderful and would make a romantic and action-packed film. At his best, Sir Walter Scott is eloquent and the story flows through it's poetic cantos so quickly that one can't put it down. Some parts however, drag a bit for a modern audience. Based loosely on the reign of James V, King of Scotland, and the beautiful Ellen, this is an almost forgotten yet richly rewarding account of the battles between the Scottish highlanders and lowlanders. With Robin Hood; burning crosses, later sadly adopted by the Klu Klux Klan (the first two words came from the Greek word for circle); the song Hail to the Chief; Schubert's Ave Maria, and much more, the story has a rich cultural footprint.
My interest in it was aroused when going through family genealogy and realizing that Duncan as well as Rob Roy are family ancestors. My husband's highland roots come out with every Scottish festival and he reminds me of Sir Douglas in the story--a man of uncommon strength and valor. :) Recommended for those who want to work at reading a little harder as one should at least read the wiki intro first to get a grasp of the three story lines and the major characters. Also, I didn't purchase the book, instead I read the free 1903 Google scan of the Nightingale edition with and introduction by Chalmers. :) It has pages of excellent explanatory notes in the back. Next: Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott as well!
My interest in it was aroused when going through family genealogy and realizing that Duncan as well as Rob Roy are family ancestors. My husband's highland roots come out with every Scottish festival and he reminds me of Sir Douglas in the story--a man of uncommon strength and valor. :) Recommended for those who want to work at reading a little harder as one should at least read the wiki intro first to get a grasp of the three story lines and the major characters. Also, I didn't purchase the book, instead I read the free 1903 Google scan of the Nightingale edition with and introduction by Chalmers. :) It has pages of excellent explanatory notes in the back. Next: Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott as well!
June 20, 2022
Went into this one without any good expectations, and boy was I wrong?!
I recently read Ivanhoe and didn't like it. So I decided to give Scott another chance and went with this one here. I was ready for a boring story and I honestly didn't even know it was going to be a poem.
What a delight that was, I started reading thinking great, I'm going to love rating this 1 star with all the boring shit happening in. But.. Scott did it, the poetry in this one is a work of art. I loved pretty much all of it. The way he describes a scene and the way everything fits together, from the rhymes to the scenery he's able to make you see and pretty much every interaction between characters, he's basically picking you up and throws you in the middle of the scene happening.
Maybe some bits here and there weren't like the beginning which I loved (first 2 cantos) and the end wasn't that exciting but I would definitely recommend if you're into poetry. Especially this old timey kind.
This definitely made me wanna read another book of the author and also that I'd love to read a bunch of already established stories from other authors, fantasy or not, as poems witten by Walter Scott.
Found out he's written a couple more poems and I'm definitely checking those out too.
I recently read Ivanhoe and didn't like it. So I decided to give Scott another chance and went with this one here. I was ready for a boring story and I honestly didn't even know it was going to be a poem.
What a delight that was, I started reading thinking great, I'm going to love rating this 1 star with all the boring shit happening in. But.. Scott did it, the poetry in this one is a work of art. I loved pretty much all of it. The way he describes a scene and the way everything fits together, from the rhymes to the scenery he's able to make you see and pretty much every interaction between characters, he's basically picking you up and throws you in the middle of the scene happening.
Maybe some bits here and there weren't like the beginning which I loved (first 2 cantos) and the end wasn't that exciting but I would definitely recommend if you're into poetry. Especially this old timey kind.
This definitely made me wanna read another book of the author and also that I'd love to read a bunch of already established stories from other authors, fantasy or not, as poems witten by Walter Scott.
Found out he's written a couple more poems and I'm definitely checking those out too.
January 28, 2018
Beautiful writing, but I can tell it's been a long time since I read a long narrative poem because it took me a bit to get settled into it. I had to force myself to slow down and savor the language and imagery. Still the writing is lovely, the descriptions pull you in, and the story grows on you. I feel like I should give it 5 stars, but I think it throws too many people at you too quickly, and most of us don't have the background to keep everyone straight easily. The version I read had the notes in the back and it helps to read them as you go along.
I loved the poetry and the romantic story. Add in the fact that I'll be seeing the area - and Lake Katrine - this spring and I loved rereading this. I won't wait 40 years to reread it again.
I loved the poetry and the romantic story. Add in the fact that I'll be seeing the area - and Lake Katrine - this spring and I loved rereading this. I won't wait 40 years to reread it again.
January 21, 2020
A poem I have to re-read in the future, probably several times, because the story is lost on me. I read the story in Wikipedia just to get a clue what is going on. The reason I wanted to read this is because it's relatively famous and I wanted to know how it goes. But it's either not meant for me or I have to come back to it in the future. (could've just read the Wikipedia site and be done, but noooo)
I was expecting something mythical, like that the lady of the lake would be a lady from the lake or whatever. But no.
I was expecting something mythical, like that the lady of the lake would be a lady from the lake or whatever. But no.
February 27, 2022
Well, it was shorter than Waverley. Probably pretty teachable, especially for the moments where it’s trying to invent “correct” forms of nationalism and reconcile them with all this chivalry. Might also be interesting to think about the role of the poet/minstrel within the poem as someone with near-magical power. I’m not sure why I find it so hard to get interested in / enjoy Scott.
November 22, 2023
This was a lucky find at a library book sale and it's absolutely wonderful. Several poems are from Scott's other novels but there are also a handful of poems I hadn't read yet.
I loved adding this collection to my morning time reads.
I loved adding this collection to my morning time reads.
May 7, 2019
I stumbled on an old illustrated version of Scott's poem (published in 1883) for pocket change at a local thrift shop and bought it as much for the quaint engraving work and its excellent condition as much as for the poem itself. I knew nothing about it--from the title I assumed it was part of the King Arthur cycle, but I was wrong. Instead, it revolves around a clash between Scottish highlanders, as represented by Clan Alpine, and the Scottish monarchy under James V.
Wikipedia has short article on the poem, and a synopsis of each of the six cantos--I found that somewhat helpful, as well as some other general articles on King James V and the situation in Scotland at the time the poem takes place (the events themselves are not historically accurate but they do draw from certain elements of the time). Without at least some help, I'm sure I would have been lost--I assume Scott's original readers would have been accustomed to this narrative style, but not being used to it, I found it difficult to follow at times. The synopses helped settle up minor points though, and bring the entire narrative into sharper focus.
The poem begins with a deer hunt, and one hunter who finds himself stumbling accidentally into the hidden retreat of the exiled James Douglas, once an advisor to the young King James V of Scotland, and meeting Douglas' daughter Ellen. After being given refuge for the evening, the young knight, James Fitz-James, departs, though with thoughts of Ellen (The Lady of the title) still in his mind. Later that day, Douglas himself, who had been absent from the retreat during Fitz-James stay, meets with the leader of Clan Alpine, Roderick Dhu, who is protecting Douglas. Dhu asks for Ellen's hand, as a way of cementing their alliance, but Douglas refuses, both out of lingering loyalty to the king, and because he knows Ellen is in love with another young man, Malcolm Graeme. From this point, things are set in motion that will bring on a clash between the highlanders and the monarchy's forces, and that will also decide Ellen's fate.
According to Wikipedia, The Lady of the Lake was very popular throughout the 19th century, and it does have that kind of chaste romanticism that I think of as being part of that time. As to the quality of the poem itself...it does have a boyish idealism that can still appeal to me, in small doses. In other respects, I'm pleasantly surprised to find myself in a position to finally begin to absorb and enjoy this kind of poetry--I had no patience at all with it when I was younger. So part of my rating is surely attributable to the fact that I can absorb it now. In the end, it seems to have been a lucky find that I read at the right time. Readers who are interested can find the ebook at Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3011), and an audio recording at LibriVox (https://librivox.org/search?title=The...)
Wikipedia has short article on the poem, and a synopsis of each of the six cantos--I found that somewhat helpful, as well as some other general articles on King James V and the situation in Scotland at the time the poem takes place (the events themselves are not historically accurate but they do draw from certain elements of the time). Without at least some help, I'm sure I would have been lost--I assume Scott's original readers would have been accustomed to this narrative style, but not being used to it, I found it difficult to follow at times. The synopses helped settle up minor points though, and bring the entire narrative into sharper focus.
The poem begins with a deer hunt, and one hunter who finds himself stumbling accidentally into the hidden retreat of the exiled James Douglas, once an advisor to the young King James V of Scotland, and meeting Douglas' daughter Ellen. After being given refuge for the evening, the young knight, James Fitz-James, departs, though with thoughts of Ellen (The Lady of the title) still in his mind. Later that day, Douglas himself, who had been absent from the retreat during Fitz-James stay, meets with the leader of Clan Alpine, Roderick Dhu, who is protecting Douglas. Dhu asks for Ellen's hand, as a way of cementing their alliance, but Douglas refuses, both out of lingering loyalty to the king, and because he knows Ellen is in love with another young man, Malcolm Graeme. From this point, things are set in motion that will bring on a clash between the highlanders and the monarchy's forces, and that will also decide Ellen's fate.
According to Wikipedia, The Lady of the Lake was very popular throughout the 19th century, and it does have that kind of chaste romanticism that I think of as being part of that time. As to the quality of the poem itself...it does have a boyish idealism that can still appeal to me, in small doses. In other respects, I'm pleasantly surprised to find myself in a position to finally begin to absorb and enjoy this kind of poetry--I had no patience at all with it when I was younger. So part of my rating is surely attributable to the fact that I can absorb it now. In the end, it seems to have been a lucky find that I read at the right time. Readers who are interested can find the ebook at Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3011), and an audio recording at LibriVox (https://librivox.org/search?title=The...)
April 9, 2021
Sooo... I am not sure what to say. I may have speed read this because I wanted to find out what happens, *guilty look.*
Anyway it was a good story, but the poetry was beautiful.
For the characters I am a tiny confused, but I like Ellen best. All the men are *cough, cough* slightly obsessed with war. Which was the feeling of the time (At least it is in Scott's books!) then, but still.
Actually I like Allan the minstrel.
But to get to the point again I like Ellen best. Her Ave Maria prayer/song is very sweet.
Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild;
Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled –
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem with down of eider piled,
If thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer,
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! stainless styled.
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!
Beautiful!
I will have a more coherent review when I read it again more slowly:-)
Anyway it was a good story, but the poetry was beautiful.
For the characters I am a tiny confused, but I like Ellen best. All the men are *cough, cough* slightly obsessed with war. Which was the feeling of the time (At least it is in Scott's books!) then, but still.
Actually I like Allan the minstrel.
But to get to the point again I like Ellen best. Her Ave Maria prayer/song is very sweet.
Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild;
Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled –
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem with down of eider piled,
If thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer,
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave Maria! stainless styled.
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!
Beautiful!
I will have a more coherent review when I read it again more slowly:-)
December 31, 2018
I am a bit of a sucker for narrative poetry and so it was not really a surprise that I enjoyed this. My favorite portions of the poem were undoubtedly the lush descriptions near the beginning. The entire verse romance is quite enjoyable.
April 16, 2014
I love the sound of poetry like this, but I definitely feel like I'm not entirely sure what happened.
December 31, 2024
I had been looking for this title for so long that when it finally arrived in English and Spanish, I panicked... were my expectations too high? Was it worth the wait? Was I giving it too much credit?
Sometimes, what you want most becomes a failure... sometimes it equals or surpasses the fiction in your mind.
I've seen poetry try to become story and stories, histories and legends try to become poetry, but I've never seen the balance as well struck as it is in this work.
Take blanket or fan, depending on the era, and thrill to war, love, politics and the most exquisite descriptions.
Marvel at the author's talent for telling a story in 8 rhyming lines, and let yourself be seduced by the sensations it provokes.
Sometimes, what you want most becomes a failure... sometimes it equals or surpasses the fiction in your mind.
I've seen poetry try to become story and stories, histories and legends try to become poetry, but I've never seen the balance as well struck as it is in this work.
Take blanket or fan, depending on the era, and thrill to war, love, politics and the most exquisite descriptions.
Marvel at the author's talent for telling a story in 8 rhyming lines, and let yourself be seduced by the sensations it provokes.
June 12, 2024
Literature died the day it became unacceptable to call your cast of characters James, James, James Fitz-James, and Brian the Hermit
September 28, 2024
Would have preferred there to be more dragons, swords and general lady of the lake antics but was still quite good❤️
August 8, 2025
“On wandering knights our spells we cast” oh and I bet you do
May 7, 2020
“The Lady of the Lake” is Sir Walter Scott’s epic poetic tale of two, or possibly three, men who seek the hand of Ellen Douglas, the beautiful daughter of a Scottish nobleman (?). She lives with her father and retainers on a remote island on Loch Katrine, a lake in southwestern Scotland. One of the men, Malcolm Graeme, has been wooing her for a while; the second, James Fitz-James, is presented as a hunter who discovers Ellen and the isle after getting lost while chasing a deer; and the possible third suitor, Roderick Dhu, is the chief of a rebellious Scottish clan.
Conflict ensues between the men, of course, while at the same time Dhu is making trouble for the English king at Stirling Castle, not far away. The end of the tale is more or less happy (depending on your point of view), with the rebellious clan defeated, the hunter’s true identity revealed, and the long-time suitor winning the fair maiden’s hand.
I’m not used to reading long-form poetry. The combination of the sing-songy iambic quadrameter of the rhyming paired couplets that make up most of the poem, the turns of phrase needed to make the words fit into the lines, and the archaic and foreign terms, made the story hard for me to follow. For that reason, it’s hard for me to give a fair or complete evaluation of the poem, which is one of Scott’s most popular.
On top of that, my copy is a 1915 book for students, which explains the cover image above. The pages are fragile, the binding failing, and many pages at the end, containing explanatory notes and instructions for those students, are missing. I’m not even sure which side of my family originally owned the book. There’s no student name written inside it—although whoever had it certainly scribbled all over many of the pages—and it was printed the year my late mother was born. Perhaps if I’d had a more complete edition that was in better shape, I would have been able to concentrate more on the story.
“The Lady of the Lake” is considered a classic, so if long-form poetry written in the 1800s is your thing, I suppose this is one you have to check out.
Conflict ensues between the men, of course, while at the same time Dhu is making trouble for the English king at Stirling Castle, not far away. The end of the tale is more or less happy (depending on your point of view), with the rebellious clan defeated, the hunter’s true identity revealed, and the long-time suitor winning the fair maiden’s hand.
I’m not used to reading long-form poetry. The combination of the sing-songy iambic quadrameter of the rhyming paired couplets that make up most of the poem, the turns of phrase needed to make the words fit into the lines, and the archaic and foreign terms, made the story hard for me to follow. For that reason, it’s hard for me to give a fair or complete evaluation of the poem, which is one of Scott’s most popular.
On top of that, my copy is a 1915 book for students, which explains the cover image above. The pages are fragile, the binding failing, and many pages at the end, containing explanatory notes and instructions for those students, are missing. I’m not even sure which side of my family originally owned the book. There’s no student name written inside it—although whoever had it certainly scribbled all over many of the pages—and it was printed the year my late mother was born. Perhaps if I’d had a more complete edition that was in better shape, I would have been able to concentrate more on the story.
“The Lady of the Lake” is considered a classic, so if long-form poetry written in the 1800s is your thing, I suppose this is one you have to check out.
August 23, 2023
Another Scott tale under my belt. I loved it, although it was not as epic as Evangeline - that remains my favorite narrative poem to date - but I love the poetry of narratives like this. Scott's weaving of history can't be beat. This was another time period I knew nothing about, and I spoiled it for myself by reading the notes - just for Canto First - which gave away the ending (so don't read the notes). Despite that lack of knowledge, I did get the reference to Hotspur all on my own and was very proud of myself.
I plan this for my book club pick, so I am thinking to read it again, and more thoroughly, soon, after I read over the notes and answer some of my questions on the history. I loved the inclusion of the ballads and minstrelsy, and the Scottish scenery that Scott paints with his words is incredibly vivid and memorable. Highly recommend.
I plan this for my book club pick, so I am thinking to read it again, and more thoroughly, soon, after I read over the notes and answer some of my questions on the history. I loved the inclusion of the ballads and minstrelsy, and the Scottish scenery that Scott paints with his words is incredibly vivid and memorable. Highly recommend.
February 9, 2017
My sister bought me a 1845 edition of this book when I was twelve, I'm 17 now and I've only just plucked up the courage to read it! The writing and format was not the thing that was keeping me from reading it, the delicate pages and worn spine were the problem.
The writing on the opening page leads me to believe it belonged to a Scottish priest who for certain is no longer alive and the thought of accidentally destroying that history kept me from even picking it up.
I'm mad at myself for not reading it sooner, It is a rich tale of warriors and maidens and thrilling descriptions that will leave you captivated! I lost myself for hours in the narrative and if you have the taste for it I'd recommend you do the same!
The writing on the opening page leads me to believe it belonged to a Scottish priest who for certain is no longer alive and the thought of accidentally destroying that history kept me from even picking it up.
I'm mad at myself for not reading it sooner, It is a rich tale of warriors and maidens and thrilling descriptions that will leave you captivated! I lost myself for hours in the narrative and if you have the taste for it I'd recommend you do the same!
January 14, 2023
I understand Sir Walter Scott’s mastery of rhyming his poetry, but one of the things I don’t understand is what exactly is going on.
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I went into this epic poem with a sense of the fantastical, I thought it would be magical and adventurous. It had its adventurous moments, but you can’t always find them because they don’t seem to be as obvious. As far as the magical, I always put Lady of The Lake as a mythical figure that comes out of a lake and this was nothing like that!
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It also seemed to be jammed with words simply to make it rhyme which is really unnecessary.
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It truly is a personal feat to make it though this poem and if you do congrats, because I can tell you it’s not easy to do.
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I went into this epic poem with a sense of the fantastical, I thought it would be magical and adventurous. It had its adventurous moments, but you can’t always find them because they don’t seem to be as obvious. As far as the magical, I always put Lady of The Lake as a mythical figure that comes out of a lake and this was nothing like that!
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It also seemed to be jammed with words simply to make it rhyme which is really unnecessary.
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It truly is a personal feat to make it though this poem and if you do congrats, because I can tell you it’s not easy to do.
January 12, 2023
Beautiful natural descriptions and a surprisingly engaging plot. I usually don’t gravitate towards historical fiction from the 19th century, but I was in the mood for something very Scottish and something very Medieval, and this definitely ticks both of those boxes. I like a good narrative poem once in a while. Did the excessive rhyming bother me? Very little, as I just ended up rooting for my favorite characters. A few surprises, too, along the way which was a lot of fun. I’m glad to finally have read something by Scott.
July 29, 2015
The Regency equivalent of a western, and a narrative poem with easy to appreciate rhymes that has withstood the test of time. Roderick and FitzJames have a great fight scene and there are many beautiful songs, plus a memorable tragic area involving a mad woman in the mountains. Malcolm--Ellen's love interest--is the main problem, as he's nothing so cool as either of the other boyfriend possibilities, but thats pretty much the only fault I find in this delightful escape into the past.
February 26, 2016
Was ever an author as inconsistent as Scott? When I read through his novels (yes, all of them), I found some were un-put-downable while others were barely pick-up-againable. And now, the same with his poems - Marmion was something of a confusing and tedious ramble, but The Lady of the Lake is brilliant. Technically faultless, it's also a rattling good story with wonderful descriptive passages. Not to be missed.
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