Back to school! This semester, I’m studying popular fiction of the early 19th century. This means the best sellers from days of yore–so no Jane Austen. Instead, I’m reading Waverly by Sir Walter Scott, the most popular novelist of the romantic era. At that time a typical novel might have sold 500 to 1,000 copies. His books sold 6,000-10,000.
All they had to do was put “By the author of Waverly” on his subsequent books for them to be bestsellers. It’s like he was the Nora Roberts of his day.
I had thought that when I decided to read popular fiction, I’d get the fun stuff. Not that Waverly isn’t fun or interesting, but let’s just say tastes have changed.
The book begins with a brotherly feud before the hero is even born, seemingly to explain why the nephew is the heir to his uncle’s estates. Our hero doesn’t even appear until a few chapters in. We are then treated to an entire chapter on his education. Today we might call this an information dump, but the point is an interesting one–that you can learn a lot about a person by what and how they were taught. He then met a girl on one page, married her on the next, secured his commission and left for Scotland. I’m a hundred+ pages in.
It’s all quite different from today’s romance novels when the hero and heroine meet in the first chapter and long passages of back story are discouraged. Not bad, just different.
There is a lot of description and very little dialogue. It’s more tell, less show. It’s a little slow. And dense–I’m inspired to put the paragraph on my list of favorite inventions. The lack of white space on a page was probably due to the cost of paper at the time, thus making it an economical decision rather than a stylistic one.
As I read, I like to think that this is the kind of novel Regency heroes and heroines would have been reading.
7 Comments
That is really interesting! I have read quite a few classics. Jane Eyre is one of my favorites.
I have heard of Sir Walter Scott but know very little about him.
Thanks for this blog. I forget sometimes there were books written before 1990 LOL!!
Have a great weekend!
Scott is surprisingly hard to find these days! Only one copy of Waverly in the 3 stores I checked.
Jane Eyre is a good one! I really love Wuthering Heights.
Oh I love him, try The Heart of Midlothian (from whence my husband hails). Or The Bride of Lammermoor. Not quite what you’d expect, but lovely stories. And lots of history.
Maya,
I love your point about a lack of white space. Very interesting and probably spot on.
I have to admire your ability to read early 19th century literature. I know it’s terrible, but I’ve yet to even make it through an entire Jane Austen novel! I guess I’m a typical 21st Century reader – I need a little more action, a lot of dialog and very little backstory. Sadly, I’m easily distracted, so the slow pace just doesn’t hold my attention.
Great post!
Great and interesting post, Maya. I’ve never read Sir Walter Scott, but the book sounds interesting. Certainly more entertaining than copyright infringement, which is what I’m reading right now. But amen on the paragraph being a great invention!
My only concern would be the density. After having to read about copyright infringement, I want to read something that will help me escape and I don’t want to have to work or think that hard, lol. Even if it’s only for 15-30 min. Does that make me a bad reader?
Good luck this semester, Maya!
“Certainly more entertaining than copyright infringement, which is what I’m reading right now. ” LOL, LISA!
I passionately hate Wuthering Heights. Don’t even get me started on it!