Introductions and Notes from the Magnum Opus: Ivanhoe to Castle Dangerous (Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels) - Hardcover

Scott, Walter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0748614915 ISBN 13: 9780748614912

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, 2012

Synopsis

Between 1829 and 1833 the first complete edition of Scott's fiction appeared, in 48 volumes issued one a month, each illustrated with two engravings, and with introductions and notes by Scott himself. The Magnum Opus, as it was familiarly called, was a project which aimed to reduce the enormous debt of over £126,000 which landed on Scott during the financial crisis of 1825-26, but it was much more than an exercise in book-making. Scott's introductions are semi-autobiographical essays in which he muses on his own art and the circumstances which gave rise to each of his works of fiction. His notes illustrate his text, sometimes with simple glosses, sometimes by quotations from historical sources, but most strikingly with further narratives which parallel rather than explain incidents and situations in the fiction.These volumes constitute the first systematic representation of Scott's contributions to his last great edition, the edition which defined the final shape of Scott's fiction for the nineteenth century. They conclude the publication of the Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels, and as they include addenda and corrigenda covering the whole 28 volumes of Scott's fiction in the EEWN, they are an indispensable conclusion to the set. But above all they illustrate the parabolic imagination of the man who made the historical novel an intellectual force.

About this title

About the Authors

Sir Walter Scott, was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet. Many of his works remain classics and include Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Waverley, The Heart of Midlothian and The Bride of Lammermoor.

J. H. Alexander is Reader Emeritus in English at the University of Aberdeen.

From the Back Cover

INTRODUCTIONS AND NOTES FROMTHE MAGNUM OPUSIVANHOE TO CASTLE DANGEROUSEdited byJ. H. Alexanderwith P. D. Garside and Claire LamontBetween 1829 and 1833 the first complete edition of Scott’s fiction appeared, in 48 volumes issued one a month, each illustrated with two engravings, and with introductions and notes by Scott himself. The introductions are semi-autobiographical essays in which he muses on his own art and the circumstances which gave rise to each work. His notes illustrate his text, sometimes with simple glosses, sometimes by quotations from historical sources, but most strikingly with further narratives which parallel rather than explain incidents and situations in the fiction.These volumes constitute the first systematic representation of Scott’s contributions to his last great edition, the edition which defined the final shape of Scott’s fiction for the nineteenth century. They conclude the publication of the Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels, and as they include addenda and corrigenda covering the whole 28 volumes of Scott’s fiction in the Edition, they are indispensable to the set. But above all they illustrate the parabolic imagination of the man who made the historical novel an intellectual force.Before their retirement, J. H. Alexander was Reader in English at the University of Aberdeen, P. D. Garside was Professor of Bibliography and Textual Studies at the University of Edinburgh, and Claire Lamont was Professor of English at the University of Newcastle.

Edition details

• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0748614915
• ISBN 13: 9780748614912
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 776
• Editor: Alexander J. H.