Rob Roy is a historical novel written by Sir Walter Scott. The action is narrated by an Englishman who travels to the Scottish Highlands. This popular book was adapted into a movie in 1995 that starred Liam Neeson.
When Frank Obaldistone is sent, disinherited and in disgrace, to live with his uncle, Sir Hildebrand, he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Diana Vernon. But, when his cousin Rashleigh steals documents that are vital to his father’s livelihood and reputation, Frank has no choice but to pursue him to restore his father’s honour and his family’s good name. Along the way, Frank crosses paths with the legendary Rob Roy—an infamous Scottish folk hero who has information of benefit to Frank and his family.
The year 1723 saw the publication of a fictionalised account of his life, The Highland Rogue. Rob Roy became a legend in his own lifetime, and George I was moved to issue a pardon for his crimes just as he was about to be transported to the colonies. The publication of Rob Roy, by Sir Walter Scott in 1817, further added to his fame and fleshed out his biography. Hector Berlioz was inspired by the book to compose an overture. William Wordsworth wrote a poem called "Rob Roy's Grave" during a visit to Scotland. Adaptations of his story have also been told in film including the 1922 silent film Rob Roy, a 1953 film from Walt Disney Productions Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue and the 1995 Rob Roy directed by Michael Caton-Jones and starring Liam Neeson.
Set against the backdrop of the 1715 Jacobite Rising in Scotland, Sir Walter Scott’s Rob Roy is both an epic tale of adventure and romance, and a realistic reflection of the brutal living and social conditions present in Scotland during the early eighteenth century.
