Valerie Estelle Frankel - History, Homages and the Highlands: An Outlander Guide

Valerie EstelleFrankel

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History, Homages and theHighlands: An Outlander Guide is anunauthorized guide and commentary on Outlander (book and show) and itsrelated universe. None of the individualsor companies associated with the books or television series or anymerchandise based on this series have in any way sponsored,approved, endorsed, or authorized this book.

Print ISBN-13: 978-0692328071 (LitCritPress)

Copyright 2014 Valerie Estelle Frankel

Smashwords Edition

LitCrit Press

Outlander offers a dazzling world ofmingled magic and history as Claire Beauchamp Randall plunges intothe standing stones and finds herself on the edge of the JacobiteRebellion. But who was Bonnie Prince Charlie historically? What waslife really like among the bagpipes, kilts, cattle raids, andGaelic of the Highlands? And what of the books what are theirsources? This book explores Scottish life of the 1740s and 1940s,together with the people and places Claire encounters on heradventures.

Learn the difference between Scottish andEnglish pounds, customs of Highland weddings and funerals, and allthe delightful expressions of the Scottish dialect. From Louis XVto George VI, its a tour through European history before Clairetravels on to meet the Founding Fathers of America.

Theres also magic and mystery: standingstones, selkies, the fair folk, witchcraft, and always the mysteryof Loch Ness. The Sun Feasts and Fire Feasts of Imbolc, Beltane,and Samhain are still celebrated today as people bind on protectivecharms and pray to Jesus and Mary along with the older Celtic godsof Lugh and Bride.

With over 20 million copies sold and now aStarz cable show, the series is a historical, romantic, fantasticaladventure not to be missed!

While first inspired, Gabaldon was watching aDoctor Who rereun, specifically War Games with PatrickTroughton and his companion, Jamie MacCrimmon. The latter, a kiltedHighlander recruited from just after the Battle of Culloden, wasone of the most popular characters on the fifty-year show. Shenotes that she found his gallantry endearing and his kilt ratherfetching, so she began the book in his era. As Gabaldon goes intomore detail about the Doctor Who scene:

In thisparticular scene, Jamie McCrimmon and Lady Jennifer, a WWIambulance driver (hence demonstrably no ones delicate blossom) aresomewhere with the TARDIS, but without the Doctor, who waspresumably in considerable danger elsewhere/when. Jamie declaresthat he must go rescue the Doctor, tells Lady Jennifer to waitthere, and heads for the TARDIS - followed closely by LadyJennifer. When he perceives that she plans to come, too, he insiststhat she must stay behind, ostensibly because someone needs to telltheir other companions whats going on. Lady Jennifer greets thispiece of feeble persuasion with the scorn it deserves, demanding,You just want me to stay behind because Im a woman, isnt thatright? To which our courageous young Scotsman (who is considerablyshorter than Lady Jennifer) replies, Well, no, I - that is...you... I... well... yes! Now, I found this demonstration ofpig-headed male gallantry riveting.

JamieMcCrimmon, from the eighteenth century and a culture in which womenwere respected, but not considered mens physical equals (for theexcellent reason that they arent), appears for the most part toaccept the notion that the women with whom he has to do on histravels through time are in fact his equals and treats them thatway until now. When push comes to shove, and its a matter of awoman taking on physical risk... he cant help it; he has to try toprotect her, even though he accepts her as his intellectual andsocial equal. (The Doctors Balls Kindle Locations334-349).

Jamie was named in compliment to theDoctor Who character. He too struggles with modern women,particularly his World War II nurse Claire, with her own standardsof what she can manage. Continuing her story, Gabaldon adds:

So Jamiehe was, but with a blank for a last name. Knowing nothing aboutScotland when I began, I was reluctant to give him a last nameuntil I knew more about the history of the Highlands and its clans.He remained Jamie [] for several months, in fact until Ihappened in the course of my research to read The Prince in theHeather, by Eric Linklater. This book told the story of whathappened to the Bonnie Prince and his followers after the disasterat Culloden. Included in the description of those harrowing dayswas the poignant quote which I later used in Dragonfly inAmber: After the final battle at Culloden, eighteen Jacobiteofficers, all wounded, took refuge in the old house and for twodays, their wounds untended, lay in pain; then they were taken outto be shot. One of them, a Fraser of the Master of Lovatsregiment escaped the slaughter; the others were buried at the edgeof the domestic park. Now, by this point I had seen enough ofthe story to think that it should end at Culloden but I had thefeeling that there was more to the story than that. So, on the offchance that there might one day be a sequel to this book (cough), Ithought it might be advisable for Jamie [] to survive that battle and if that were the case well, plainly his last name should thenbe Fraser. (Outlandish Companion, 135-136)

Coincidentally, Jaime McCrimmon is played byFrazer Hines. Also coincidentally, as Gabaldon put it, I cameacross the legend of the Dun-bonnet the survivor of Culloden whoreturned to his estate, and lived seven years in hiding in a cave,protected by his loyal tenants. This struck me as a most romanticand suitable story, so in the larcenous fashion of novelists Isnatched it and adapted it to my own purposes Months later, shediscovered the mans name was James Fraser (