Sir Walter Scott's epic tale in verse of high romance, chivalry and daring deeds in the rugged and romantic Highlands of Scotland in days of old was a publishing sensation when it originally appeared in 1810. The world's first international blockbuster was received with wild enthusiasm throughout Europe and beyond.
Many of the people who read and loved The Lady of the Lake subsequently travelled to Scotland to see for themselves the locations where Sir Walter had set his tale. This has led to the poet and novelist being credited as the Father of Scottish Tourism.
The Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake is set in the first half of the 16th century, two hundred years before it was written, and concerns an ongoing feud between the Scottish monarch of the time, King James V, and the Douglas clan. In the guise of a mysterious stranger, the king journeys to the Douglas stronghold on an island in Loch Katrine. Here he meets and falls in love with Ellen, the spirited daughter of the Earl of Douglas. Ellen, however, loves another.
The ensuing drama, both romantic and martial, is played out over six days and the six cantos into which the poem is divided.
The Setting of The Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake is set in the Trossachs. This area well within an hour's journey of Glasgow and Scotland's Central Belt is where the Scottish Highlands start. It now forms part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, packed with mountains, lochs and waterfalls, and is sometimes called Scotland in miniature.
Sir Walter Scott wove his characters and his drama into the beauties of their surroundings. The Lady of the Lake has many lines which sing the praises of the Scottish landscape.
Boon nature scattered, free and wild,
Each plant or flower, the mountain's child,
Here eglantine embalmed the air,
Hawthorn and hazel mingled there;
The primrose pale, and violet flower,
Found in each cliff a narrow bower;
The Impact of The Lady of the Lake
Back in 1810, The Lady of the Lake sold 25,000 copies in the first eight months after publication, breaking all previous records. Schubert set parts of the poem to music, creating the song now known today as Ave Maria. Rossini produced an operatic version, La Donna del Lago.
James Sanderson took inspiration from Sir Walter's Boat Song within The Lady of the Lake. The tune Sanderson composed, Hail to the Chief, is now used to announce the official arrival of the President of the United States.
As quoted on the back cover of the 2010 edition, 'it became more fashionable to see the Trossachs than to make the Grand Tour of Europe.'
2010 Commemorative Edition of The Lady of the Lake
The 2010 edition of The Lady of the Lake celebrates the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Sir Walter Scott's epic poem. The book's red and black cover is striking, as are the other red and black illustrations within the text. Created by artist Linda Farquharson, these dramatic images are a wonderful complement to the drama of the poem.
The 2010 edition is introduced by Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland, edited by Thomas Crawford and introduced by Douglas Gifford, Honorary Librarian at Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott's former home near Melrose in the Scottish Borders.
The 2010 edition has been published by Glasgow University's Association for Scottish Literary Studies in association with Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, celebrating both the poem and "Scottsland", the area it immortalized.
The Lady of the Lake for Modern Readers
The Lady of the Lake tells a stirring tale and is colourful, dramatic and a thoroughly enjoyable read, the rhythm of the poetry carrying the reader along beautifully from start to finish. Unobtrusive notes help with words and references which might fox the modern reader but it's not necessary to consult these to enjoy this epic yet accessible story.
