Robert Falconer: Introduction

  Robert Falconer is one of George MacDonald’s early works, published in 1868.  In addition to its being a well-constructed and interesting story, it offers many valuable spiritual insights and it contains a fascinating amount of autobiographical material. 


It is of course impossible to discern where accurate portraiture leaves off and fictionalization begins, but Robert in many ways seems a depiction of many of MacDonald’s own inner struggles and conclusions as he was growing up and becoming disillusioned with the stern Scottish Calvinism to which he was exposed in his youth.  Robert’s “grannie” also vividly reflects MacDonald’s own grandmother, and the town of Rothieden has many of the features of Huntly, MacDonald’s home town.


Note: If you are buying a copy of the novel, purchase the Cullen edition.  In it the Scottish dialect has been nicely softened so that it is readily readable but yet retains the realistic air which is important for the tone.


The chapter numbers below are from the Cullen edition.  If you are using another edition, try dividing the total number of pages in you volume by seven.  


I will endeavor to post analyses on the following dates:


Oct. 31:  Chapters 1 - 9.


Nov. 7:  Chapters 10 - 16.


14:  Chapters 17 - 25.


21:  Chapters 26 - 33


28:  Chapters 34 - 43


Dec. 5:  Chapters 44 - 50


12:  51 - end.


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