New evidence suggesting that Rob Roy MacGregor was secretly in the pay of London during the 1715 rebellion is wholly in keeping with what we know of his character. Rob Roy, the myth, was a dashing Highlander, constantly one step ahead of powerful enemies. Robert MacGregor, the man, was a freebooter, descended from a long line of cattle thieves and father to several more. He augmented his rustling by running protection rackets and by perpetrating a series of swindles, his most famous victim and creditor being the Duke of Montrose. So, does the charge of treachery rob Scotland of one of its most colourful heroes? Of course not. When we think of Rob Roy, we shall still picture Liam Neeson in his swirling plaid. The legend does not depend on facts; it has taken on a life of its own. There is nothing wrong with this: Scotland, like all nations, needs its myths. William Wallace will always be a painted Mel Gibson, however sketchy our knowledge of his life. Robert the Bruce might have been a calculating and ambitious nobleman but, for most of us, he will eternally be watching the spider in his cave, just as Alfred will always be burning cakes, Robin Hood drawing his bow in the greenwood, Arthur yanking swords from stones. We respond to archetypes because they speak to something deep inside us. Even if conclusive evidence could somehow be unearthed about a Romano-Celtic chieftain called Arthur, would that historical figure truly be more "real" than the betrayed lover with whom generations have become familiar? Rob Roy is remembered as he is because he symbolises the eternal struggle of the little man against the system. As Scotland's rulers daily heap regulations on an over-governed country, his struggle is more relevant than ever. |
