Book Review of The Surgeon's Daughter by Sir Walter Scott
Chronicles of Canongate is a collection of stories by Sir Walter Scott,
published in 1827 and 1828 in a series of Waverley novels. They are named after
Canongate, Edinburgh.
Sir Walter Scott, 1st
Baronet (1771-1832) was a great Scottish historian and poet who was loved by the whole of
Europe in his time. The daughter of a surgeon is the fourth story of the first
series of Waverley novels published in 1827.
The Surgeon's daughter
was set in the mid- to late 1770s between the First and Second Mysore Wars. It
is the story of Menie Gray, daughter of Dr. Gideon Gray. Menie is dating
Richard Middlemas, an illegitimate child who was raised in a surgeon’s home.
Richard is a medical doctor, and the couple are engrossed in Menie's father's
blessings. Not earning well as a state doctor, Richard leaves Scottland to claim his money in
India. Here he fall in love
with an adventuress Adela Montreville who plotted to bring Menie in India and hand her over
to the Vice-Regent of
Bangalore, Prince Tippoo Saib. A bribe and the prospect of progress lead
Richard to join the plan, Menie answers Richard's call to join him in India as his wife. The hero of the
story becomes Adam Hartley, a friend of Richard and his unsuccessful rival. Adam gets the help
of Hyder Ali, Tippoo Saib's father, who guarantees Menie's safety and punishes
Richard. Shortly thereafter, Adam contracted with a disease that left Menie as his heir. Out of respect for his memory, she remains unmarried.
In this story most
importantly, the main character is not only flawed, but also a villian. Scott handles a surprising
conflict as he develops this story that keeps the pages turning.
The last point in the story is very different and mysterious.This story gives us very informative
facts about 18th-century India.
Book Review by Jonita Swapnil Dbritto / Roll no-10/ SYBEd 2019-21
Reference:
Scott, W. (2012). The surgeon's daughter. ProQuest Ebook Central
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
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