踏入他者之境華特·司各特小說《羅伯•羅伊》中的帝國凝視與高地抵抗

Travelling into the Other The Imperial Gaze and Highland Resistance in Walter Scott’s Rob Roy

本論文透過後殖民視角探討華特•司各特小說《羅伯•羅伊》(1817)，分析其對內部殖民及帝國凝視的批判。雖然司各特的小說常被視為鞏固英國國族認同的作品，本書卻揭示了漢諾威統治下蘇格蘭高地的被壓迫狀態，並暴露帝國權力內部的矛盾與不安。本論文聚焦於法蘭克•奧斯巴迪斯通的蘇格蘭旅程，探討其都會視角如何扭曲對高地文化的理解，不僅重現殖民敘事，亦突顯英國統治的脆弱性。論文借鑒邁克爾•赫克特的《內部殖民主義》及瑪麗•路易斯•普拉特的《帝國之眼》，分析法蘭克在格拉斯哥、阿伯弗伊爾及羅伯•羅伊部族中的經歷，並揭示他在迷戀與恐懼之間的擺盪。此外，本論文還探討「好客」作為一種權力運作的方式。在阿伯弗伊爾，法蘭克的闖入引發衝突，反映殖民焦慮；而在羅伯•羅伊部族內，他的接納則突顯高地「好客」的選擇性。儘管受到款待，他仍保持情感上的疏離，延續其帝國心態。最終，《羅伯•羅伊》無法被簡單歸類為帝國或民族主義小說。司各特揭示文化接觸的複雜性，展現當地身份的韌性如何挑戰帝國權力。法蘭克未能化解的焦慮，亦突顯小說對殖民記憶的深層關注。

This essay examines Walter Scott’s novel, Rob Roy (1817), through a postcolonial lens, exploring its engagement with internal colonialism and the imperial gaze. While often regarded as reinforcing British national cohesion, Scott’s novel simultaneously critiques the subjugation of the Scottish Highlands under Hanoverian rule, exposing the contradictions and anxieties within imperial authority. Focusing on Frank Osbaldistone’s journey, the essay analyses how his metropolitan biases distort his perception of Highland culture, reinforcing colonial tropes while also revealing the fragility of British dominance. Drawing on Michael Hechter’s Internal Colonialism and Mary Louise Pratt’s Imperial Eyes, the study interrogates Frank’s encounters in Glasgow, Aberfoyle, and Rob Roy’s glen, illustrating his oscillation between fascination and fear. Additionally, the essay examines hospitality as a contested practice. Frank’s intrusion at Aberfoyle provokes conflict, reflecting broader colonial tensions, while his acceptance within Rob Roy’s clan underscores the conditional and politically charged nature of Highland hospitality. Despite the generosity he receives, he remains emotionally detached, reinforcing his imperial mindset. Ultimately, Rob Roy resists simplistic categorisation as either an imperial or nationalist novel. Scott presents cultural encounter as complex and unstable, demonstrating how imperial power remains vulnerable when confronted with resilient local identities. Frank’s unresolved anxieties further underscore the novel’s deeper engagement with colonial memory and the persistent tensions of internal colonialism.