Catriona · Character

Symon Fraser

A lean, lively Jacobite agent so feared that Alan Breck calls him a dreadful man and, in the same breath, a most respectable one on the field of war.

supporting

Also known as Fraser, Mr. Symon Fraser, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Symon, Symon

First appearance: Umquile the Master of Lovat

As a supporting figure in Catriona, Symon Fraser is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The forfeited Master of Lovat, now acting as Advocate-Depute; uses manipulation and threats to pressure David into false testimony.

In the storyUmquile the Master of LovatOpen this moment free

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Fraser is the quiet power behind other men's plots, a man who can appear at Shaws by night in a scratchwig and wraprascal and be gone before anyone thinks to ask his business. His courage is not in question, but neither is his ruthlessness, and even hardened Highlanders speak of him with a shiver. He matters because the danger he represents is the kind David cannot see coming until it is already in the room.

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See Symon Fraser in Umquile the Master of Lovat

Character Web

15 connections

A slice of how Symon Fraser sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Minor Characters and Contacts
Main Edinburgh Plot
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it forces David Balfour to confront the emotional and psychologica…

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In the story

Symon Fraser appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Umquile the Master of Lovat
The forfeited Master of Lovat, now acting as Advocate-Depute; uses manipulation and threats to pressure David into false testimony.
I Make a Fault in Honor
Symon Fraser (Lord Lovat) is recalled by David as a source of fear and danger, having confronted him earlier that day.
The Bravo
Symon is present during the aftermath of the duel and is accused by Prestongrange of disloyalty.
IX: The Heather on Fire
Symon Fraser is identified as a key conspirator, threatening David's life and working with Prestongrange and the Duke. He is compared to his father, who managed the Lady Grange affair.
The Wood by Silvermills
Alan speaks ill of Symon Fraser, calling him a devilish character, as part of the threat they face.
Gillane Sands
Implied as co-conspirator with Prestongrange in arranging David's capture.
The Bass
Mentioned by David as the Master of Lovat, implicated in the intrigue.
XX: I Continue to Move in Good Society
David meets him in the causeway and pulls off his beaver to him, despite James Stewart's hanging.

Chapter companion notes

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