Poetry from the Waverley Novels and Other Works

Book excerpt: This scholarly edition offers the first reliably identified collection of Walter Scott's original poetry in the Waverley Novels, the letters and the Journal. Past editors of Scott found it hard to recognise what is and is not quotation; but thanks to modern databases the poems in this volume have been identified as almost certainly his own.This collection demonstrates, again, Scott's brilliant versatility in the handling of verse forms and his extraordinary range of voice. The poetry of the Waverley Novels is often dramatic, being uttered or sung by one of the characters; mottoes at the heads of chapters stand in a critical relationship to the narrative; the poetry of the letters and Journal is often quizzical and self-mocking; and there are many superb parodies.As part of the 'meaning' of these poems lies in their context, this collection succinctly contextualises each one. It also provides full textual and explanatory annotation and an essay which explores, among other things, the wavering boundary between new creation and quotation.