Summary of the poem Lochinvar by Sir Walter Scott
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In my view, this poem captures the values of the times it was written in, where a physically superior mate (Lochinvar) just swooped in and claimed his prize (Ellen). The narrative style of the poem also points to the reality of the times when women were viewed as chattel with no independent agency. Therefore the only options before Ellen were to belong either to Lochinvar or to the bridegroom, she didn't have the option of rejecting them both. However, if we view the bridegroom's behaviour in a modern context, his passivity reflects his respect for Ellen's wish to be with her true love and it is the ultimate expression of gentlemanly behaviour, which makes the bridegroom the actual hero of the story. The bridegroom's behaviour could only have been interpreted as cowardly if Ellen were truly in love with the bridegroom and Lochinvar kidnapped her.
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