Rob Roy is a novel by Walter Scott about Frank Osbaldistone, the son of an English merchant who goes to the Scottish Highlands to collect a debt stolen from him. Rob Roy MacGregor, who the book is named after, appears in the book several times but is not the lead character (in fact the narrative does not move to Scotland until half way through the book).

Plot introduction

---

The story takes place at the time of the 'Fifteen Jacobite Rising. The plot has been criticized as disjointed, the end especially is hurried. Critics were disappointed that Rob Roy was not presented as a more impressive figure; however, in general the criticism was favourable.

Rob Roy was written from the Spring of 1817 and published on Hogmanay of that year. Like the original Waverley novel it was published anonymously and came in three volumes. The demand for the novel was huge and a whole ship from Leith to London contained nothing but an entire edition of it. Scott visited Loch Lomond and the cathedral in Glasgow as research for the novel.

Like the more recent Rob Roy film the character is based on truth but the story is complete fiction.

Characters in "Rob Roy"

---

• Andrew Fairservice, a shrewd gardener

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

---

As mentioned above the novel was adapted in 1995 as Rob Roy film. It was directed by Michael Caton-Jones and starred Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, John Hurt. It had also made it on to film by the Disney studios in 1953 as Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue.

External links

---

1818 novels | Scottish novels | Historical novels | Walter Scott novels