Sir Walter Scott has been called the creator of the historical novel and has certainly proved worthy of the title with his impressive historical novels, poetry and Scottish ballads that have helped to preserve Scottish history. Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh to rather unloving parents who had plenty of other children to care for let alone little Walter who suffered from paralysis of his right leg at the age of two. Scott, as a result was not an easy child to care for, and a relative suggested that he stay with his grandparents in the country of southern Scotland. It was in his grandparents’ household that Scott learned of the traditional Scottish ballads and stories, some of these stories directly relating to his own ancestors (Lauber 1). Scott felt that his forefathers had lived "realer" lives than his own life, he felt as though he had missed the "real" history of Scotland (Sutherland 4).

Although Scott was fascinated by his ancestors’ history he was not particularly fascinated with his immediate family, specifically his father, who was criticized for bringing up children in "dirty, dung-filled streets" in College Wynd, Edinburgh (Sutherland 11). Scott, following in his father’s footsteps, became a lawyer. However, Scott did not begin his profession with admiration. Scott referred to his law profession as "confinement" (Sutherland 29). As Scott aged he came to have more love for the law and actually became very interested in politics for a time and later became a notable businessman. However, his real passion was writing which earned him a profitable sum of money, which he invested into his elaborate estate at Abbotsford. In 1826 Scott suffered greatly as a result of a financial crash that left his pride damaged more so than his finances, considering that he refused to give up his estate for bankruptcy and paid for his debts through his writing (Lauber 6).

Sir Walter Scott’s ancestral pride became a part of him that he cherished. His feelings of pride for his country and his own personal history was carried into his literature, which is evident in one of his most popular novels Rob Roy. Rob Roy was an historical figure of the Scottish Highlands that Scott admired for his "courage and daring as a commander" (Sutherland 205). Scott possessed Rob Roy’s pouch and gun, which Scott kept at his estate, Abbottsford with other historical relics.

Rob Roy is Scott’s first novel about the Scottish Highlands and the feudal culture. Critics suspect that Scott became interested in Rob Roy when he was working on his article about the Culloden Papers (Sutherland 205). Perhaps Rob Roy immortalized for Scott the ultimate Scottish historic figure of the Highlands, representative of the feudal lifestyle that interested Scott (Sutherland 45). In addition, the character of Rob Roy may have appealed to Scott because of his own military desires, such as when he formed the Light Dragoons, a volunteer military service (Sutherland 66). In Rob Roy Scott’s life as a young man becomes evident in the familial relationships of Frank Osbaldistone. Most evident in the novel is Scott’s relationship with his father, older brothers, and at times Scott’s mother, all of which can be seen through the character of young Frank.

When Scott was nineteen his father offered him a partnership in his law firm, similar to the character Frank Osbaldistone in Rob Roy, Scott turned down the offer from his father. Scott felt that he would be confined in his profession as a lawyer. I believe Scott saw something greater for himself than what his father had achieved, which Scott demonstrates with Frank in Rob Roy by having Frank turn down his father’s offer to help him run his company. Sir Walter Scott, much like Frank Osbaldistone, was more interested in literature and poetry than taking up a standard profession as a lawyer. As Frank states in Rob Roy "In fact, my principal attention had been dedicated to literature…" (Scott 70).

Frank Osbaldistone’s father tries to control Frank’s future and career choice by not giving Frank many options other than the family business (Sutherland 10). In Rob Roy Scott describes the father of Frank Osbaldistone with similar characteristics of his own father. "He was a kind, though not a fond father, and the tear twinkled in his dark eye but it was only for a moment." (68). Scott’s relationship with his father, as biographer John Sutherland states, "went through many phases…dominating all else was the awareness that he was not an important child." (8) was not a typical loving relationship between father and son. Scott also describes his father’s religious and political views in Rob Roy, "He is severely strict in the duties of religion…as well as the least tendency to the highflying or Tory principles"(Scott 168). Sir Walter Scott’s father had distinct views about religion and politics as well. Scott’s father considered Sundays in the Scott household to be "days of penance" and read prayers throughout the entire day (Sutherland 7). Scott tried throughout his adult life to distance himself from his father by having different values and opinions.

Scott not only distanced himself from his father but also his brothers, particularly his older brothers who seemed to him rough and ignorant (Sutherland 113). Much like the situation of Frank Osbaldistone who did not care for his cousins’ ignorance, rude manners, and heavy drinking. Young Walter Scott explained to his Uncle Robert Scott at one time when asked why he did not want to go out and play with his older brothers, "I am much happier here reading my book." (Sutherland 19). As a result of Scott’s interest in books he became close with his mother, much like Frank’s tie to Diana Vernon, who not only intrigues him with her beauty but her desire to learn and her fierce intelligence.

Diana is a strong female character in the midst of a novel with many faltering male characters. This situation parallels Scott’s youth with his inattentive father and bullying brothers. When Scott was young he would often sleep in his mother’s room and read her books that were hidden from his father. Perhaps, in some ways his mother inspired the intelligent character of Diana Vernon and the close relationship that Frank has with her in comparison to his male relationships. Scott may have translated his love for his mother unconsciously to his character Diana Vernon. Scott describes an encounter between Frank and Diana: "Diana Vernon and I enjoyed much of our time in our mutual studies; the rest of the family killed theirs in such sports and pastimes…" (Scott 198). This encounter resembles Scott’s experience of reading with his mother, away from his rough, older brothers.

The character of Diana Vernon could also represent the lost love of Sir Walter Scott’s life, which was Williamina Belsches. Scott was very much in love with Williamina, who turned down his marriage proposal and eventually married one of Scott’s friends. Scott was evidently taken with her not because of her beauty alone but also because of her mind which bears some resemblance to the attraction of Frank to Diana Vernon (Sutherland 55-57). In Rob Roy at one point Frank is faced with the fact that he may never see Diana again, and as Scott describes the character of Frank, "I shed a flood of the first and most bitter tears which had flowed from my eyes since childhood."(Scott 386). This description also relates to Scott’s reaction when he discovered that Williamina would marry another man, which was one of the most painful experiences in Scott’s life (Sutherland 56-57).

In Rob Roy Scott blends his love for the history of Scotland that he missed with the history and relationships of his personal life. Perhaps Scott felt that although he did not live during the "real" period of Scottish history in his opinion, he could preserve the history for himself by combining aspects of his family history with that of Scottish history.