Mad Sir Uchtred of the Hills is an 1894 historical novella by Samuel Rutherford Crockett.
Sir Uchtred Dowall, former Covenanter turned persecutor, is cursed with madness and flees to live like a wild animal. A hard journey back to reason and his family follows.
Tropes:
- Artistic Licence – History: A very minor example: the "Killing Times" are still in full swing at the beginning and William III is safely established as King by the end, suggesting a gap of at least four or five years, but only three have passed.
- Badass Preacher: Alexander Renfield is utterly fearless defending his flock and defying tyranny.
- Biblical Motifs: Crockett explicitly highlights the parallels to the Book of Daniel, with Uchtred as Nebuchadnezzar to Renfield's Daniel.
- Break the Haughty: Uchtred, a proud aristocratic army officer, is reduced to a deranged Wild Man.
- The Cavalier Years: It's set in the 1680s, a favourite period for Crockett.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: By the time Uchtred is redeemed, cured, and reunited with Philippa, they've both been through a hell she did nothing to deserve.
- Illegal Religion: The story begins in the "Killing Times", and Uchtred is an active hunter of the persecuted Covenanters.
- Insane Equals Violent: Invoked then subverted: almost everyone is terrified of Uchtred in his wild state but he does no harm - in stark contrast to his actual violence before going mad.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Is Uchtred's mental collapse the result of a sudden access of conscience, or a literal act of God? Either way, Renfield cursing him brings it on.
- Redemption Equals Affliction: It takes three years of living like an animal to atone for Uchtred's crimes.
- Save the Villain: When Uchtred finds his scheming brother Randolph injured and helpless, Randolph expects death. Instead, Uchtred is awoken to sanity and sets his injured leg. It's a redemptive Heel Realisation moment for both of them.
- Sibling Triangle: Uchtred's younger brother Randolph covets his wife Philippa as well as his lands and title. She does not reciprocate.
- Turncoat: Uchtred used to be a Covenanter before his Face–Heel Turn.
