Rob Roy (novel)

Rob Roy (1817) is a historical novel by Walter Scott. It is narrated by Frank Osbaldistone, the son of an English merchant who travels first to the North of England, and subsequently to the Scottish Highlands, to collect a debt stolen from his father. On the way he encounters the larger-than-life title character, Rob Roy MacGregor. Though Rob Roy is not the lead character (in fact, the narrative does not move to Scotland until halfway through the book), his personality and actions are key to the novel's development.

Plot introduction

The story takes place just before the Jacobite rising of 1715, with much of Scotland in turmoil.

Frank Osbaldistone, the narrator, quarrels with his father and is sent to stay with an uncle, Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone, in Northumberland. Frank falls in love with Diana Vernon, Sir Hildebrand's niece, whose father has been forced to go into hiding because of his Jacobite sympathies. Frank's cousin, Rashleigh, steals important documents vital to the honour and economic solvency of Frank's father, William, and Frank pursues Rashleigh to Scotland. Several times his path crosses the mysterious and powerful figure Rob Roy MacGregor, known as Rob Roy, an associate of Sir Hildebrand. There is much confusion as the action shifts to the beautiful mountains and valleys around Loch Lomond. A British army detachment is ambushed and there is bloodshed. The eponymous Rob Roy is badly wounded at the Battle of Glen Shiel in 1719, in which a British army of Scots and English defeat a Jacobite and Spanish expedition that aimed to restore the Stuart monarchy. All of Sir Hildebrand's sons but Rashleigh are killed in the Jacobite rising, and Rashleigh, too meets a bloody end. Following this, Frank inherits Sir Hildebrand's property and marries Diana.

Rob Roy

Rob Roy may refer to:

Rob Roy (operetta)

Rob Roy is an operetta by composer Reginald De Koven and lyricist Harry B. Smith, frequent collaborators, loosely based upon the life of Scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor, better known as Rob Roy, and the Walter Scott novel about him.

Rob Roy, designated "A Romantic-Comic Opera in 3 Acts", opens with a formal overture. The history-conflating plot covers the adventures of Rob Roy, a highland chieftain secretly married to the daughter of the mayor of Perth, and Bonnie Prince Charlie, the young pretender to the throne of Scotland, who in reality didn't set foot in Scotland until 11 years after the MacGregor's death. It included several songs in imitation of Scottish folk tunes.

Performance history

Rob Roy premiered in Detroit on October 1, 1894. It opened in New York on October 29, 1894, at the Herald Square Theatre and ran for 235 performances, closing on March 23, 1895. A review in the New York Times faulted it only for failing to match the high standard its creators set for themselves in their earlier Robin Hood (1890), though it identified the first act finale and Flora's song in the second act as De Koven and Smith's best work to date. It called Rob Roy "a thoroughly good operetta ... clean, frank, manly, bright, and winsome ... a right good comedy".

Rob Roy (1995 film)

Rob Roy is a 1995 adventure film directed by Michael Caton-Jones.Liam Neeson stars as Rob Roy MacGregor, an 18th-century Scottish clan chief who battles with an unscrupulous nobleman in the Scottish Highlands. Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, Brian Cox, and Jason Flemyng also star. Roth was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the treacherous aristrocrat Archibald Cunningham.

Plot

In Scotland, 1713, Rob Roy MacGregor (Liam Neeson) is the Chief of Clan MacGregor. By selling the Lowland gentry protection against cattle rustling, he barely manages to feed his people. Longing to alleviate their poverty, MacGregor borrows £1000 from James Graham, Marquess of Montrose (John Hurt), with the intent of buying and selling Highland cattle. Impoverished London aristocrat Archibald Cunningham (Tim Roth) has been sent to stay with Montrose, who is implied to be related to him. Cunningham's mother hopes that the temperate Scottish climate will cool the fever in his blood, as his habit of buggery has become a problem back in England. Heavily in debt, Cunningham learns about the loan from Montrose's factor, Killearn (Brian Cox), who has been charged with looking after him. Killearn first converts the credit to cash without the knowledge of Montrose or MacGregor.