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Rob Roy
Rob Roy, a novel by Sir W. Scott, published 1817.
The story takes place just before the Jacobite rising of 1715. Francis Osbaldistone, the son of a rich London merchant, on refusing to adopt his father's profession, is banished to Osbaldistone Hall in the north of England, the home of his fox-hunting, hard-drinking uncle, Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone. Here he is brought into contact with Sir Hildebrand's six boorish sons, one of whom, Rashleigh, is a malignant plotter who has been selected to occupy the place of Francis in the London counting-house, and Sir Hildebrand's niece, the high-spirited Diana Vernon. Rashleigh is deeply involved with Jacobite intrigues, has evil designs on Diana, and becomes the bitter enemy of Francis, who falls in love with Diana and is received by her with favour. The story is occupied with the attempts of Rashleigh to destroy Francis and to rob and ruin Francis's father, attempts that are defeated partly by Diana, and partly by the singular Scotsman Rob Roy Macgregor. This historical character, member of a proscribed clan, was once an honest drover; embittered by misfortune and injustice, he is now an outlaw, the ruthless and cunning opponent of the government's agents, but capable of justice and even generosity. In the outcome Rashleigh is forced to surrender the funds that he has misappropriated, and is killed by Rob Roy after having betrayed his Jacobite associates to the government. Francis is restored to his father's favour, becomes the owner of Osbaldistone Hall, and marries Diana. His incorrigible manservant Andrew Fairservice is one of Scott's great characters. |
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Rob Roy." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Rob Roy." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-RobRoy.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Rob Roy." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-RobRoy.html |
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Rob Roy
Rob Roy [Scottish Gaelic,=red Rob], 1671-1734, Scottish freebooter, whose real name was Robert MacGregor. He is remembered chiefly as he figures in Sir Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1818). Deprived of their estates as a result of proscription, the MacGregors lived largely by stealing cattle and selling "protection." Because of the proscription, which was renewed in 1693, Rob Roy assumed his mother's name, Campbell. He exploited the fact that his territory, Balquhidder, lay between the estates of the rival dukes of Montrose and Argyll. The duke of Montrose at first supported him in a cattle-farming business, but Montrose withdrew his support, forcing Rob into bankruptcy, in 1712. Rob then took to brigandage in earnest, particularly against Montrose. He took advantage of the Jacobite rising of 1715 to engage in plundering raids, but he did not espouse the Jacobite cause. In 1717, Montrose induced the duke of Atholl, previously friendly to Rob, to capture him, but he escaped to the protection of the duke of Argyll. Rob later attempted to make peace with Montrose and with the Hanoverians and to deny culpability for his activities during 1715. However, he was arrested, imprisoned in Newgate, and in 1727 sentenced to be transported. He was pardoned and returned to Balquhidder, where he remained until his death. |
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"Rob Roy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rob Roy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-RobRoy.html "Rob Roy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-RobRoy.html |
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Rob Roy
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"Rob Roy." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rob Roy." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-RobRoy.html "Rob Roy." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-RobRoy.html |
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Rob Roy
Rob Roy (born Robert Macgregor) (1671–1734) Scottish outlaw. His escapades as a highland cattle thief and opponent of the government's agents on the eve of the Jacobite uprising of 1715 were popularized in Sir Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1817).
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"Rob Roy." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Rob Roy." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-RobRoy.html "Rob Roy." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-RobRoy.html |
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Rob Roy
Rob Roy (1671–1734), Scottish outlaw and member of the proscribed Macgregor family, whose reputation as a Scottish Robin Hood was coloured by Sir Walter Scott' novel Rob Roy (1817).
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Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Rob Roy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Rob Roy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-RobRoy.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Rob Roy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-RobRoy.html |
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